PIC to take action against Faseeh

The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) has said that it will further investigate and take action against former Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh for his order to pull out Police Officers from the protest area at Artificial Beach on the night of 6 February, in spite of the tense situation in the area at the time.

The report publicised by the PIC yesterday after its investigation of the incidents of 6 and 7 February 2012 states that in addition to Faseeh, action will also be taken against former Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismail Atheef, Chief Superintendent Farhadh Fikry, Mohamed Hameed, Superintendent Ibrahim Adhnaan Anees and Ahmed Abdul Rahman.

PIC accuses the abovementioned group of having tried to implement former President Mohamed Nasheed’s illegal orders, by illegally removing Police Officers from the Artificial Beach area amidst serious unrest.

PIC’s report states that the illegal order to withdraw the Police came in spite of the Police having informed senior officials that the protesters had access to sticks and other protest weapons, and having stressed that the seriousness of the situation in the area at the time can only be fully comprehended by the Police Officers who had been active in controlling the protest.

PIC’s seven-page summary report says that Police Officers’ request that they remain the area until the military arrived, to ensure security in the area, is in accordance with article 244 of the Constitution and article 6 and 8 of the Police Act.

It also states that the efforts of the former Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismail Atheef, Chief Superintendent Farhadh Fikry, Mohamed Hameed, Superintendent Ibrahim Adhnaan Anees and Ahmed Abdul Rahman to withdraw the Police from the scene were in violation of article 246(a) of the Constitution, Police oath, and articles 6 and 8 of the Police Act.

Moreover, according to PIC’s investigations, Faseeh and Muneer obstructed Police Officers’ efforts to return to the area after receiving information that violence had broken out; which is also a violation of the Constitution and Police oath.

PIC has accused negligence on the part of former Police Commission Faseeh, for failure to control the Police mutiny at Republic Square.