Ali Waheed Returned to Maldives
Ali Waheed, former Minister of Tourism, to Maldives has arrived to Maldives today.
On February 21, 2021, Ali Waheed, the former Minister of Tourism, departed for the United Kingdom citing medical reasons, coinciding with the emergence of seven allegations against him from the state.
It is worth noting that Ali Waheed's scheduled arrival coincides with the recent decision of the Prosecutor General's office to withdraw the sexual assault allegations against him. The withdrawal was made due to insufficient evidence to substantiate these claims.
Ali Waheed faced serious allegations, including attempted rape, sexual harassment towards female employees of the Ministry of Tourism, indecent exposure, and engaging in prohibited sexual activities, on November 18, 2020. These allegations raised significant concerns and were subject to investigation and legal proceedings.
The case against Ali Waheed was brought before the court; however, it could not proceed as he left the country and failed to appear in court. Consequently, on the 22nd of the previous month, the court referred the case back to the Prosecutor General's office.
The purpose of this referral was to explore means of ensuring Ali Waheed's presence in court and resubmitting the case. On October 6, 2022, the Prosecutor General's office subsequently returned the case to the police office, instructing them to resubmit it once Ali Waheed is back in the Maldives.
In the official news statement issued by the Prosecutor General's office regarding the case, it was stated that the decision to withdraw the claims was based on the fact that the victims who had previously come forward and provided statements expressed their unwillingness to pursue the matter further.
The Prosecutor General's office further mentioned that they had been sending letters to the police, requesting the withdrawal of the case and the retraction of their earlier statements.
“We have met with the victims of the case regarding their letters that were sent to the police and to this office, and we have discussed with them their preferred course of action for proceeding with the case."
stated the Prosecutor General's office.
The Prosecutor General's office explained that they made the decision to withdraw the case after conducting an investigation to explore the possibility of proceeding without the victims' statements. However, it was determined that without the victims' statements as evidence, the claims could not be pursued, leading to the decision to withdraw the case.
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