High Court allows out of court settlement for wrongfully terminated police officers

High Court of Maldives, in a closed hearing today, granted the opportunity to enter negotiations for an out of court settlement to five police officers who were terminated from the force in 2021 based on Police Board's recommendation.

Local reports suggest that the decision was granted by the court upon the request of the five officers, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohamed Jamsheed, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Ahmed Mohamed, Chief Superintendent of Police Abdulla Shareef and Superintendent Mohamed Davood as well as Superintendent Ismail Shameem.

The court granted a period of seven days to reached a settlement, local media reports say.

The case was originally ruled in favour of the dismissed officers by Civil Court earlier. However, the verdict is now being reviewed by the High Court upon the state's appeal.

While the High Court allowed the case to be resolved out of court, the newly formed Police Board of the current administration withdrew the case, and requested the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to withdraw the case as well. However, they decided against doing so.

With the case now in High Court, an interim stay order was issued by the court against reinstating the officers' jobs pending the outcome of the appeal.

Amongst the five officers, all other officers except Jamsheed and Ahmed Mohamed are still employed at Maldives Police Service. In fact, Abdulla Shareef was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police.