Two days

Department of Judicial Administration has said that the past two days’ unrest has resulted in Rf 50 million worth of damage to Court property all over the country.

A statement released by Director of the Department of Judicial Administration Ahmed Majid said that windows were broken and fire was set to court buildings in several islands.

He said that even though a detailed study of the damage cost has not been conducted, the damage is estimated to be around Rf 50 million based on the cost records of constructing these buildings.

The statement indicates that seven magistrate courts in three atolls were burned, and damages of various degrees were done to three other island court buildings.

Addu city’s Hithadhoo Court, Maradhoo and Feydhoo Court, Gdh. Rathafandhoo Court and Thinadhoo Court were burned to the ground. In addition, damage was done to N. Velidhoo Court, B. Kamadhoo Court, and Gdh. Gaddhoo Court.

Fuahmulaku and Maradhufeydhoo Court were also set on fire; however the fires were controlled before they caused any damage. Work has resumed at Maradhufeydhoo Court after minor repairs to the doors.

Courts of R. Alifushi, Dhuvaafaru, Rasgatheem, B. Hithaadhoo, Lh. Hinnavaru, and Th. Madifushi have been closed down. Sh. Komandu Court has been threatened to be closed as well.

Of the courts that burned to the ground, papers could be saved only of Rathafandhoo and Maradhufeydhoo Courts.

The statement issued by the Judicial Administration also said that reports have been received that members of the public in Thinadhoo are selling equipment and machinery which were inside the burned court building. Also, it had been reported that the hard disks of the computers in Feydhoo Court have been removed, with the computers left out on the streets.