President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has today ratified the “Bill on Prevention of Gang Crimes and Other Dangerous Crimes” which includes severe penalties to curb gang-related offenses. The President ratified the bill at a special ceremony held at the Dharumavantha Hall of the President’s Office. The ceremony was attended by Minister of Home Affairs and Culture Ali Ihsaan, Attorney General Ahmed Usham, Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef, and senior officials from security services.
The “Bill on Prevention of Gang Crimes and Other Dangerous Crimes” proposed by the government was passed by the People’s Majlis on the 15th of this month during the 32nd sitting of the first session of this year. The Gang Crime Prevention Act is a law enacted to prevent major organized crimes including gang-related offenses and dangerous crimes by imposing penalties for such offenses and giving special powers to enforcement agencies to take action against such individuals. The law also aims to establish special procedures for taking steps to distance individuals involved in such crimes from criminal environments, reintegrate them into society, and monitor and control their activities.
Severe penalties and fines for gang crimes!
According to the newly enacted law, forming and operating an organized criminal group will be an offense. Anyone who forms or operates such a group will be sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined between MVR 200,000 and MVR 10 million. Attempting to commit such an offense or aiding in its commission will result in 18 years imprisonment and a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 5 million. Recruiting people for an organized criminal group is also an offense under this law. If a person commits this offense and a minor becomes a victim as a result, they will face 25 years imprisonment and a fine between MVR 200,000 and MVR 10 million. Attempting to recruit an adult will result in 20 years imprisonment and a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 7 million.
Additionally, the law includes prison sentences and hefty fines for those who assist groups in recruitment, participate in organized criminal groups, use private premises for criminal activities, and intimidate witnesses. If a legal entity or its responsible person is involved in committing an organized crime, the entity will be dissolved and the person who committed the offense will be fined between MVR 100,000 and MVR 100 million.
Important powers for enforcement agencies as well!
According to the law, the Prosecutor General can petition the court to declare wealth associated with a person linked to an organized criminal group or wealth that cannot be proven to have been legally obtained as illegally acquired wealth. The law also states that such property and money can be seized by the state if the court so decides. Moreover, the law specifies penalties for killing, assault, kidnapping, intimidation, and causing severe bodily harm using sharp objects or dangerous weapons. While the death penalty is included for murder, other offenses will result in prison sentences and hefty fines.
The law gives police the power to stop, search, and arrest without a court order if there is suspicion of committing organized major crimes, dangerous crimes involving weapons, possession of weapons, manufacturing weapons, or importing such weapons into the country. The law also grants enforcement agencies many other powers to prevent such crimes. Additionally, the law outlines measures to be taken to protect individuals exposed to criminal environments and procedures for monitoring and controlling such individuals.
This law will come into effect three months after it is passed, ratified, and published in the Government Gazette. With the enactment of this law, the previously enforced laws on Prohibition of Intimidation and Possession of Dangerous Weapons and Sharp Objects and the Anti-Gang Crime Act will be repealed.
