Addu City Council’s legal officer under arson attack

Petrol was used to set fire to car belonging to Addu City Council's legal officer | Photo: The Times of Addu

Addu City, Maldives – Addu City Council’s legal officer Abdulla Ihsan’s car was set on fire earlier this morning.

Speaking to the press, Ihsan stated that his cars rear windshield was deliberately broken into and the car was set on fire using petrol as a accelerant.

This is most likely related to grievances about my job. There are cases against Addu City council at the High Court even.

Legal Officer Abdulla Ihsan

Most recently, the Maldives High Court refused a stay order for the eminent domain takeovers of land surrounding Addu Equatorial Hospital.

14 landowners filed cases against the Addu City Council regarding the same statement. While Magistrate Rafeeuddin Ahmed ruled in favour of the council, visiting Chief Magistrate of Rathafandhoo Court who oversaw the other 7 cases ruled that the statement released by the Addu City Council is invalid since there is no justification provided that the land repossession by the city council is for social good.

Both Magistrate’s judgements concur that under the Decentralization Law, city councils are authorized to exercise eminent domain takeovers with compensation provided through the judicial system.