Maldives' ex-minister threatens to sue UK over 'unlawful detention'
Ali Waheed returned to the Maldives on Tuesday, a month after the Prosecutor General's office dropped the sexual offence charges against him.
By
Ahmed Mizyal
Former tourism minister Ali Waheed said he will not sue the Maldivian state for compensation but will file a lawsuit against the UK government over his illegal detention while in the UK.
Ali Waheed returned to the Maldives on Tuesday, a month after the Prosecutor General's office dropped the sexual offence charges against him.
Ali Waheed was charged on 18 November 2020 with sexually assaulting and sexually harassing employees of the ministry on various occasions. He left the country in February 2021 after the court released his passport.
The charges against him were:
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Attempted rape
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Sexual abuse
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Sexual harassment
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Indecent exposure
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Illegal sexual relations
Replying to a question from Atoll Times at a press conference held at the Male jetty area after greeting the people gathered at the jetty area, Ali Waheed said, after three years and three days he had finally escaped the charges. However, he said he would not sue the Maldivian state.
“I will not prosecute those who gave false testimony against me either," he said.
"The state doesn't have money. Some politicians are trying to get compensation from the state and live off it for the rest of their lives. I know I should get compensation."
Ali Waheed said he would sue the UK government.
"I was arrested illegally. It was also instigated by people from here. I was arrested while my visa was being extended," he said.
"It was the most dangerous prison I've ever been to. I was in complete black-out for about 15 nights, with dangerous criminals. I knew I was going to be mentally weakened, so they can put me on a flight and send me here [to Maldives], but i survived that too."
The prosecutor's office said in a statement on June 14 that the decision not to proceed with the charges followed letters from victims and witnesses to the prosecutor's office and police saying they did not want to pursue the case further and wanted to withdraw statements.
In the statement in June, PG office said:
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Repeated letters have been received from key witnesses and victims since the case was returned to the police for refiling
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The police asked for a review of the case in connection with these letters
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When prosecutors examined the possibility of proceeding without their testimony, there was no way to prove the case without the testimony of the witnesses
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The case was filed on June 6
Case Summary
While the trial was ongoing, Ali Waheed was allowed to leave for medical treatment. After placing his friend Ashad Ali in his stead, he left the country on an illegally released passport on the same day, ostensibly for medical treatment. He has since remained in the UK without appearing in court.
After that:
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Police say iInterpol had issued a red notice and efforts were on to bring him back
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He was also arrested by the UK after his visa expired while he was on the run despite being asked twice to appear before the court for the hearing of the charges against him
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On September 22, 2022, the court sent the case back to the PG office after attempts to present him to court failed
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The case was sent back to the police on October 6, 2022, to be re-submitted after Ali Waheed could be summoned to the court
