The high level National Crime Prevention Committee convened by President Mohamed Nasheed to oversee prevention of assault using lethal weapons, battery, murder, gang related violence and other organised crime at the national level has met with Ministry of Home Affairs today.
Chairperson of the Committee and National Security Advisor Amin Faisal, in his opening remarks of the meeting, noted that the aim of the meeting was to identify the areas in which the Ministry and other law enforcement agencies under the ministry, especially the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services could contribute to the nationwide effort by the three powers of the state to reduce and prevent serious crimes in the country.
At the meeting, both the Ministry and the Crime Prevention Committee concurred to expedite implementing immediate measures to find an urgent solution to the matter.
They underscored the need strengthening penitentiaries and increase the space at the minimum security prisons, while finding mechanisms to keep serious and dangerous criminals separated from other inmates.
Both the Committee and the Ministry agreed to that the Maldives Police Service and the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services should work collaboratively to ensure the security of dangerous inmates who were brought to Malé for medical treatment.
They also agreed that more needed to be done to find and imprison criminals tried and sentenced in absentia.