Statement given to the Commissioner of Police Adam Zahir (Chief Torturer) on the brutal killing of innocent and unarmed civilian inmates in Maafushi Prison in Maldives by the authority

Translation
Statement given to the Commissioner of Police Adam Zahir (Chief Torturer) on the brutal killing of innocent and unarmed civilian inmates in Maafushi Prison in Maldives by the authority

Name in full:         Brig. (Rtd.)   Adam Zahir           Date of Birth/Age: 03.05.1950
Permanent Address: Ma. Vavathi                           National ID No:      A-02224
Father’s Name: Late Goanbili Don Manik      Present Address: G. Athafaiy
                             H. Goanbilige                  Date: 24 November 2003
Profession: Executive Director, Ministry of Information and Arts and Culture

On September 2003 when a shooting incident took place in Maafushi prison I held the responsibility as the Commissioner of Police. The Detention Security Unit having come under the Police HQ on 24 April 2003 as the Commissioner of Police I was the head of the unit. Until the 20 September 2003 the Maafushi Prison Security Unit under the Detention Security Unit kept vigilance at the prison in Maafushi. On the death of Evan Naseem on the 19 September 2003 night, a meeting was held at the president’s office at 10:00 on 20 September 2003. Prior to that meeting, I did not know about any incident that happened in the Maafushi prison except Evan’s death. From the meeting at the president’s office that day I went to the Police HQ. At the HQ we were discussing with the officers available at that time. Thus, present in the office were Maj. Ibrahim Latheef, Capt. Hussain Shakir, and Lt. Abdulla Riyaz. I don’t remember if I had met the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef before the meeting on that day. While we were discussing we received news through Maj. Ibrahim Latheef that the situation in Maafushi prison was worsening. Maj. Ibrahim Latheef said that prisoners got out pulling down a wall on one side of the prison and they were in the prison compound. I required what the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef said to be told to the deputy, because he would need to be aware of such developments. The deputy is always communicated to by the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef. I sometimes inform the chief of the police of such incidents. Although, in principle, the chief of the police is informed by the deputy, in case of such developments there is the opportunity that I could inform the Chief of Police directly. When the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef told me about the prison was broken out I can remember well that I asked the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef to tell Capt. Adam Mohamed to go and advise them and get them back into the cells. When I knew of the build up of pressure among the inmates I had asked to find a solution talking to them. I did not ask to take any action other than that just mentioned. When I told to negotiate a solution, whether the Capt. Adam Mohamed acted accordingly or not, I don’t know. The Maj. Ibrahim Latheef talked to me on the issue to the servicemen in Maafushi of the batons and shields. Before the situation in prison worsened, the responsibility of gathering information and controlling it lies with the Commanding Officer. In the night of 19 September 2003 when Hassan Evan Naseem’s death was discussed the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef said that more men may be required, so I asked the Deputy Chief of Police immediately. That night (19 September 2003) or the following (20 September2003) morning arrangement was being made for sending the reinforcements to Maafushi which I knew from the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef. Reports of the condition worsening in Maafushi prison were coming. An incident was expected. When the Maj. Ibrahim Latheef asked whether more men would be required to control it, (Fusfaru) the Capt. Adam Mohamed said that an additional force would not be required. The reinforcement unit left for Maafushi after the shooting, I am quite sure. The Maj. Ibrahim Latheef told me about the shooting in Maafushi an hour after he told me about the prisoners having made out of the cells. When I was told about the shooting, I reported to the Deputy Chief of Police for the Chief of Police to be informed. When I received the news of the shooting I informed the Chief of Police of it instantly. The Chief of Police did not say any thing when I told him about it. I did not know that the Chief of Police had been informed of it before I did. When I knew that a command centre was set up following the shooting incident in Maafushi, I went to the HQ straight. The need for having an armoury in Maafushi, I think, is that since there is a fighting force their arms to be there. The measures taken to protect the armoury is always to store the arms and bullets in different places and the commander to have the keys of the armoury stores without let into anyone’s hands. As one would guard one’s life so he must guard the armoury keys. The keys must always be in the hands (of who keeps them). The keys shall never go out of his control. They have been well informed of when to use the arms. In my opinion, weapons shall be used in case of foreign attack. I don’t believe that unarmed people should be shot at. Though the name of the (security) unit was changed, most of men are those who have completed and received the badge of special task force training. Though the force previously there, QRF 2, was renamed as the detention security, the military training that they have had won’t be undone so soon. They are very well trained in that. Since the fighting force is an elite force but the police force is not, they think that their status has been lowered. Capt. Adam Mohamed is a man who has had full military training. But, it is likely that he is not experienced in the police. The police deal with the people. Police thinking and philosophy may not be in a military person. Train to deal with people and train to deal with the enemy would be very different. This is a statement I have given to the inquiry into the shooting incident on 20 September 2003 in Maafushi prison. I have given this statement on my own free will and without force from anyone.

Adam Zahir

Drawn by: Shaheen Hameed

Listened by: Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi

Aishath Mohamed Didi

Dr Mohamed Salih

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