Police summon former Minister of Defence

The Maldives Police Service has summoned former Minister of Defence and National Security Thalhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu.

Police Media Official Ahmed Shiyam said today that former Defence Minister was being summoned to be questioned in an ongoing investigation. Shiyam said that the time was set at 14:00 pm today, but it was delayed.

Shiyam did not specify the time of summon as it is now scheduled.

The Criminal Court of the Maldives has, since days, issued an arrest warrant to the Maldives Police Service, although the police have not yet realized the warrant.

The police said former Defence Minister was being called to be questioned with regards to the unconstitutional arrest of Chief Judge of Criminal Court on the 16th of last January. When the Maldives National Defence Force arrested Chief Judge Abdullah Muhammad on that night, they were acting under orders from Thalhath himself and the then President Nasheed, according to reports.

When Chief Judge Abdullah was unconstitutionally and unlawfully arrested under alleged orders of the then President Nasheed and his Defence Minister Thalhath, the Supreme Court of the Maldives and the High Court of the Maldives ordered him to be released. However, both Nasheed and Thalhath, backed up by their party, the Maldivian Democratic Party, ridiculed the courts and challenged the rulings of the Courts outright, and defied them. The people of the country started a prolonged protest following the incident, which culminated in the Police and Defence Forces siding with the people, and the resignation of Nasheed.