18-year-old kidnapped and tortured

Wounds on the victim

Police have arrested three men and a minor for their involvement in the kidnap and torture of an 18-year-old man.

Inspector Hamdhoon Rasheed, from the serious and organised crime unit, said the teenager was kidnapped by a group of around 15 men on late Thursday afternoon while walking along Ameenee Magu. Police rescued him the following day at around 1 pm.

Rasheed said the victim was taken to a guesthouse where he was burnt with lighters and tortured with “sharp objects”. He added that when the victim was found he had wounds all over his body and bloodshot eyes.

Sergeant Ahmed Shiyam told Minivan News police were unsure what implements were used to torture the victim in what he described as the country’s first kidnap case.

He said the kidnappers had tried to force the victim to take drugs, which he suspected was heroin.

The perpetrators contacted the victim’s father, a resort worker, and demanded a ransom of Rf25,000 (US$1950) before taking his bank card to withdraw money to spend on food, according to police.

“So far we haven’t found any reason for the kidnap other than to demand money,” said Shiyam.

Signs of  torture

Police have arrested four people in connection with the crime, including a 16-year-old boy. Two of the perpetrators were arrested when they went to collect the ransom money and the other two were arrested at the guesthouse.

Three of the men arrested were Ahmed Nadheem, 27, from G. Ufuriya; Mohamed Aiman, 20, from Raa Rasgetheemu and Ibrahim Haleel, 28, of H. Mehelige.

In a text message to Minivan News today, religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf called on the government to investigate the case and enforce the death penalty for those who have introduced “a new evil to the Maldives” as a lesson for the public.

The message came a day after President Mohamed Nasheed declared capital punishment should not be added to the penal code, which is currently at committee stage in parliament.

During the debate last week, several MPs called for the introduction of the death penalty.

Abdulla bin Mohamed Ibrahim, a member of the Salaf, said the NGO planned to hold a meeting tonight to discuss the case and send a letter to the president urging him to apply the death penalty to the kidnappers.