Man sentenced to one year in prison for punching police officer in the eye

A man from ADh. Dhangethi has been sentenced to one year in prison for punching a police officer in the eye.

The assault took place back on January 4 when the police attempted to stop the man, who arrived in Dhangethi from Male’ City on a speedboat carrying a bag.

 The man, a native of Dhangethi, was charged with causing an injury to a person.

The police had instructed the man to stop as he drove a bicycle in the Dhangethi harbor area carrying the white cloth bag in question. He refused to stop, and punched a police officer in the eye in the ensuing clashes as the police attempted to stop him.

The man pled guilty to the charge, based on which a magistrate at the Dhangethi Magistrate Court decided to give him a lighter sentence.

The man had asked to be fined instead. However, the magistrate decided he did not to have the means to pay the MVR 74,000 fine for the charge.

He was therefore sentenced to one year and two days in prison.