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State presses charges against 26 suspects over October's vessel hijacking

Shahudha Mohamed
31 December 2020, MVT 11:20
The vessel 'Faskuri' was hijacked by armed youth. PHOTO: MIHAARU FILES
Shahudha Mohamed
31 December 2020, MVT 11:20

The state, on Wednesday, pressed charges against 26 suspects, over the armed hijacking of fishing vessel 'Faskuri' in October, which allegedly took place over a payment dispute.

According to the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office, all of the suspects were charged with issuing criminal threats while armed. The case has now been filed at Laamu Atoll Gan's Magistrate Court.

The perpetrators climbed aboard the vessel with meat cleavers and other metal objects while the fishing vessel was near Vadinolhu in Laamu Atoll, claiming that Rich Club Maldives had failed to make payments for the vessel after purchasing it on an instalment basis.

The vessel was leased to Rich Club Maldives, a company owned by parliamentary representative for Kaafu Atoll's Kaashidhoo constituency MP Abdulla Jabir, for MVR 6 million on a monthly instalment basis, but had only paid MVR 600,000 over the course of the two years it was leased under the company.

Although the lawmaker denies any involvement in the matter, claiming that no boats were acquired under his name, the Gan Magistrate Court in Laamu Atoll, issued a temporary ruling against Jabir's Rich Club Maldives, ordering the transfer of the boat to its owner Idhurees Hussain.

The owner claimed that the agreement between the company became void after Rich Club Maldives failed to make consistent payments, further requesting for compensation during the period in which it was leased.

Laamu Atoll's Gan Magistrate Court had temporarily ordered Rich Club Maldives to return the vessel to its owner until the end of trial, and prohibited any individual from climbing aboard the vessel without the permission of its owner.

The crew of 'Faskuri' vessel had publicised a statement following the incident, stating that a large group of people climbed aboard the vessel in the middle of the night carrying sharp objects, and threw hot water on a disabled crew member.

According to the statement, a crewmate reported the matter to Maldives Police Service shortly after the boat was hijacked, but police had failed to provide assistance. Police has since denied these claims.

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