Commissioner of Prisons Hassan Zareer has been exposed for providing false information regarding the involvement of his spouse and a close associate in official meetings of the Maldives Correctional Service.
Evidence reveals that Zareer’s wife and his friend, Ahmed Mohamed, participated in an official meeting during a trip to Thailand in November 2024. The visit followed an invitation from the Thailand Department of Corrections to Zareer and senior Maldivian prison officials.
When previously questioned whether Ahmed and his spouse had attended official meetings during the Thailand trip, Zareer denied the allegations.
"I would have to check that. No friend would participate in any official event during an official trip," Zareer had stated.
Despite Zareer’s denial, information obtained by Adhadhu confirms his statements were untrue. The Chiang Mai Central Prison in Thailand posted details of the meeting—attended by Zareer’s wife, Ahmed, and senior Maldives Correctional Service officials—on social media. The post included several photographs, including those obtained by Adhadhu.
The meeting took place on November 29, 2024, at the Chiang Mai Women’s Correctional Institution. Attendees included the Commander of Chiang Mai Central Prison, Samrat Hemsiri, officials from the Ministry of Justice Cooperation in Chiang Mai Province, and a Police Major from the province.
One of the photographs posted shows Zareer’s wife receiving a gift from Thailand’s then-Minister of Justice.
This is not the first instance of such conduct; Zareer also included his wife in an official 2024 trip to Malaysia for consultative meetings and a study visit to a facility managed by the Malaysian Prison Department. Her presence was confirmed through photographs shared on social media by the Malaysian Prison Department.
The inclusion of Zareer’s spouse and friend in official Maldives Correctional Service business comes amid legal concerns, as the misuse of official capacity is a defined offense under the Penal Code of the Maldives.
Section 513(b) of the Penal Code stipulates that a public official commits a fourth-degree felony if they misuse their official authority or influence to obtain a benefit for themselves or to provide an undue advantage to another person.
