Gang status designation reaches court for first time

For the first time, the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office has issued to the High Court to determine whether a group that conducts criminal activities is a gang, to stop all of their sports activities and to determine whether all individuals affiliated with the group are gang members.

As per a statement released from the PG Office today, they had issued to the High Court whether the "Scoop" group is a gang, with it operating out of Addu City. This is the first case that has been submitted since the Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act has come into effect.

The statement reads that when the evidence submitted by the police was discussed, it was seen that the "Scoop" group fulfils all requirements of the Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act, with the group being active in such offences.

And so, the PG Office said that they have requested the High Court determine that "Scoop" and "Scoop Kanmathi" or "SKP" group is a criminal group (gang) as is determined under the act.

Along with that, the PG Office has requested the High Court determine that nine of the individuals that have been deemed to be affiliated with the group are said gang members.

The PG Office also submitted to the High Court to order the Commissioner of Sports to dissolve the "SKP Sports Club", a sports club thought to be affiliated with the group, and to order the Addu City Council to erase all traces of "Scoop" and "Scoop Kanmathi" or "SKP" that has been written on walls and other places.

Even though this is the second case of such a manner that has been submitted to the PG Office by the police, this is the first time the High Court has received a case to determine gang status under the Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act.

As the group that was submitted previously by the police did not meet the requirements of it being a gang, the PG Office sent the case back to the police in order for them to bring back a more complete and rounded case.

The term "organized crime group" in the act describes the group as a group that has conducted a major crime or more than one major crime, or a group of three or more individuals who work to commit a major crime that directly or indirectly attain financial or physical benefits.