Brief of MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor’s case at the Criminal Court.

• MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor along with MP Abdulla Jabir and senior MDP officials were arrested from the uninhabited island of Hondaidhoo at a private event on the picnic island in the early hours of Friday, 16 November 2012.
• The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) found that they were beaten and mistreated by the police during the arrest. The PIC however said they were unable to take action against the police because it was unable to identify the individual policeman involved.
• The police quickly forwarded criminal cases against the MDP MPs on charges of alcohol/drug use and allegedly refusing to give a urine sample. The arrests were made a few days ahead of a crucial parliament vote on a no-confidence motion against Dr. Mohamed Waheed. The case was sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office on 3 July 2013.
• The Prosecutor General filed the case at the Criminal Court on 21 August 2013. Charges: 1. Alleged possession of drugs, 2.Alleged possession of alcohol 3.Alleged refusal to give urine sample.
• First hearing of the case was held at the Criminal Court on 1 September 2013.
• On the morning Monday, 30 September 2013, MP Hamid was arrested by the police to summon him to court.
• On 24 October 2013, the Criminal Court scheduled a hearing to coincide with aparliament sitting, delivered a subpoena and subsequently issued an arrest warrant for MP Hamid. The Chief Judge of the Criminal Court scheduled the hearing and issued an arrest warrant in violation of the Parliamentary Privileges Act, during a session of the Parliament, while Hamid had in writing informed the court he was unable to attend court due to his parliamentary duties.
• Secretariat of the Parliament issued a statement stating that the Criminal Court’s scheduling of the case was in violation of the Parliamentary Privileges Act.
• The Criminal Court again scheduled a hearing for 28 October 2013, for 9:00am, when the parliament sitting commences.