Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed a search operation is now underway in Maafushi Prison to make sure dangerous and illegal items are not in the possession of the inmates. As part of the efforts, officers from Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) are searching the remand quarters of the prison.
The search operation was launched in the wake of disruption in the prison in which six inmates were injured when prison officers exerted excessive force to contain the situation last Thursday. Since then, key figures from the relevant authorities have been summoned to parliament for questioning. Further, the commander on duty when the incident took place has been placed under suspension.
In retaliation to the way the incident was handled by the prison officers, inmates have damaged CCTV cameras in the prison and threatened the officers, with several of the guards hesitating to enter the prison or deal with the inmates. The search operation would be conducted with video and audio recording and the cells would be searched in the presence of the inmates, according to MCS.
MCS further revealed Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) can monitor the search operation. MCS assured the operation would be conducted in accordance with the laws and regulations, adding the process would be transparent.