News Desk
Authorities have fired six Parole Board members and thrown convicted drug kingpin Abdulla Ibrahim (Abucha) back into prison after an unlawful decision to grant him early release.
Abucha, who police accuse of heading a massive drug trafficking network in Addu City, was serving a 25-year prison sentence following his arrest in a major maritime operation in October 2020.
Speaking at a news conference at the President’s Office, Home Minister Ali Ihusaan revealed that the Parole Board decided to grant Abucha conditional release on September 26. Once the Ministry of Home Affairs got wind of the release, officials launched an immediate inquiry into how the decision was cleared.
“Upon reviewing the case, we found that mandatory statutory conditions and required procedures were not followed the way they ought to be,” Minister Ihusaan said.
Following the ministry’s findings, the government ordered the Parole Board to review its decision, sacked six board members involved in authorizing the release, and dispatched officers to re-arrest Abucha. He was taken back into custody to serve out the remaining 20 years of his term.
Under Maldivian law, convicts serving long-term prison sentences for major drug trafficking offenses are subject to strict conditions before ever being considered for parole. Abucha had served roughly five years—including his time in pre-trial detention—when the board moved to release him.
Abucha’s conviction dates back to October 2020, when police intercepted a vessel at sea carrying over 80 kg of narcotics smuggled through a Pakistani syndicate, including 61 kg of diamorphine and 17.97 kg of methamphetamine racemate. Seventeen other suspects were arrested alongside him in the bust.
Although he originally faced multiple charges that carried dual 25-year terms, Abucha entered into a plea agreement with the Prosecutor General’s Office, resulting in a single 25-year prison sentence handed down on May 19, 2023.
Key Case Timeline
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October 2020: Police conduct a major maritime bust, seizing over 80 kg of diamorphine and methamphetamine linked to a Pakistani drug network. Abucha and 17 others are arrested.
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May 19, 2023: Following a plea agreement with the PG Office, the Criminal Court sentences Abucha to 25 years in prison.
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September 26: The Parole Board approves Abucha’s conditional release despite him having served only about five years of his sentence including pre-trial detention.
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Recent Days: The Ministry of Home Affairs steps in to investigate the release after identifying procedural violations.
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Latest Updates: The government instructs the Parole Board to review the decision, sacks six board members responsible for the release, and police re-arrest Abucha to return him to prison.
