The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has confirmed the arrest and subsequent remand of two suspects linked to the attack on Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem. This incident has sparked controversy and concern due to the suspension of Shameem’s security detail at the time of the attack, according to official statements.
During a press conference on Thursday, Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau disclosed that Shameem’s security had been previously provided based on an assessment of threat levels, particularly as the state was engaged in several high-risk trials. However, following the conclusion of these trials, the security services allocated to the Prosecutor General were withdrawn.
However, at the same press conference, the Acting Head of the Crime Investigation Department, Superintendent of Police Ahmed Nafiz, offered a differing explanation for the absence of security personnel during the attack. He stated that the guards were on a break, following a directive from Shameem himself—a claim that Commissioner Shujau later deemed erroneous.
The MPS launched an immediate investigation into the brutal assault, drawing on all available resources and suggesting the possibility of additional perpetrators based on the nature of past incidents. In light of the attack, the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), in coordination with the Prosecutor General’s Office, has now reinforced Shameem’s security measures.
The two individuals arrested in connection with the attack were presented before the Criminal Court on Thursday and remanded into custody pending the outcome of their trials.
