16-year-old gang raped by four men

Four men gang raped a 16-year-old after taking her to a guesthouse in Male on Saturday.

Police Child Protection Unit head, Superintendent Ali Shujau said the men forced the girl into a car while she was walking on the road around 12pm and raped her after drugging and intoxicating her.

They also made a video recording of their activities, he added.

The four suspects arrested in the case are Azmeel Ahmed, 20 of Hithadhooge/Seenu atoll Hithadhoo; Ismail Muneez, 19 of Maafannu Hiyami; Mohamed Azum, 25 of White Sea/Seenu atoll Maradhoo-Feydhoo; and Ahmed Nabeeh Moosa, 19 of Maafannu Fennairu.

Shujau stressed that the police will utilise all the available resources and investigate the case as a serious crime.

Amendment prohibits foreigners from running airport duty free shops

Kulhudhuffushi-South MP Mohamed Nasheed has submitted an amendment to Business Registration Bill in a bid to prohibit foreign companies from managing duty free shops at the airport.

The amendment was proposed to the bill, which is being reviewed by a parliamentary committee, after India's GMR registered a retail company in the Maldives.

Nasheed proposed to include in the list of prohibited businesses for foreigners airport duty free shops, customs clearance, cargo clearance and bonded warehouses.

"The endorsement and ratification of the bill with the amendment is the shortest legal path to prevent GMR from carrying some of the activities that damage local businesses," he said in a statement issued today.

GMR, which manages Ibrahim Nasir Intentional Airport, gave a three-month notice to vacate the Alpha MVKB duty free shop run by MVK at the airport. GMR closed the shop on November 29 by erecting wooden sheets around the shop after the three-month deadline expired.

Both the Civil Court and the High Court ruled in favour of GMR's notice.

Earlier this month Customs officers blocked GMR officials from disassembling the shop and packing the goods at the shop.

GMR also registered a retail company – GMR Male Retail – at the Economic Development Ministry.

No-confidence motion against Mahmood Razi forwarded to Majlis

Opposition joint parliamentary group has yesterday forwarded a no-confidence motion against Minister of Economic Development, Mahmood Razi.
In a press conference held at the office of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the opposition joint parliamentary group informed the media that the group forwarded the no-confidence motion against Minister Razi because he signed an agreement allowing GMR Infrastructure to collect US$ 25 as Airport Development Charge (ADC) despite it being ruled unlawful by the Civil Court last week.
Deputy President of Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), Riyaz Rasheed said that this action of the Minister is illegal and in opposition to the verdict of the Civil Court regarding the issue. He said that the agreement signed by the government violates the rights of the people of Maldives. He added that Razi is responsible for this agreement and he does not deserve to be in the Cabinet.
Gemanafushi MP Ilham Ahmed said that the opposition parliamentary group decided to forward the no confidence motion against Minister Razi after holding a discussion regarding the matter. He said that they found that Razi disregarded the ruling of the civil court and signed the agreement for his own personal advantage.
Ilham alleged that Razi is among the shareholders of the Lecute Duty Free ship in Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.
The Civil Court of Maldives recently ruled against the Government of Maldives allowing GMR to levy Airport Development Charge (ADC) of USD 25 per departing international passenger and USD 2 of Insurance Charge per passenger.