Parliament asked to investigate release of convicted drug trafficker

An opposition MP has asked Parliament to investigate the decision to grant parole to Abdulla Ibrahim, known as Abucha, who was serving a 25-year prison sentence in a drug trafficking case before being released and subsequently returned to custody.

Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim, of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), submitted a letter to Parliament on Wednesday requesting an inquiry through the relevant parliamentary committee.

Ibrahim was arrested in 2020 in connection with the importation of more than 80 kilograms of drugs into the Maldives. He was convicted in the case and sentenced to 25 years in prison in May 2025. His parole was subsequently revoked and he was returned to prison after the government said the Parole Board had incorrectly applied the legal requirements governing his eligibility.

In his letter, Mohamed Ibrahim said parliamentary scrutiny of the case was necessary to protect public safety and prevent similar incidents.

He asked the committee to investigate eight areas relating to the decision, including obtaining and reviewing the complete administrative file on the case. This would include records showing how Parole Board members voted and the official documents authorising Ibrahim’s release.

The MP also called for Parole Board members to be summoned before the committee to explain the legal basis on which Ibrahim was considered eligible for parole, the criteria used in reaching the decision and the issues discussed by the board.

He asked the committee to establish when the Homeland Security Ministry became aware that Ibrahim was being considered for parole or had been released. He also sought details of communications between the ministry and the Parole Board and the basis on which board members were subsequently removed from their positions.

Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan announced on Tuesday that members of the Parole Board had been dismissed after the government determined that Ibrahim’s parole had been granted contrary to the applicable legal requirements. Ihusaan said the government had not found evidence that the members deliberately acted improperly.

Mohamed Ibrahim also proposed a criminal investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission and police to determine whether any person used influence or official authority to secure a benefit in connection with the parole decision.

He further asked Parliament to review previous decisions of the Parole Board to establish whether the case resulted from an isolated procedural error or reflected a wider problem in the system.

The committee should also determine how the board incorrectly interpreted the law when considering the release of a person serving a 25-year sentence for a serious offence and decide whether further action should be taken in relation to the former board members, according to the proposal.

Mohamed Ibrahim additionally called for an audit of previous parole decisions to determine whether other people convicted of serious offences had been released on the basis of similar interpretations.

The final issue raised in the letter concerns Ibrahim’s re-arrest. The MP asked Parliament to establish the legal procedure under which a person released by the Parole Board can subsequently be taken back into custody without a court order or through an administrative decision.

The government revoked Ibrahim’s parole on Tuesday and returned him to prison. Ihusaan said the period required for parole eligibility had not been calculated correctly by the board.