President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stated that it is crucial to increase the resolution of minor criminal cases through counselling rather than prosecution.

In his Presidential Address at the first session of the People's Majlis for 2025, President Dr Muizzu said it is very important to increase the use of counselling instead of prosecution for those who confess to minor crimes during investigation. This approach aims to discourage such behaviour, provide second chances, and help offenders reintegrate into society to lead crime-free lives.

Under the proposed system, first-time offenders who confess to minor crimes can enter counselling agreements. If they remain law-abiding for a period set by the Prosecutor General, they avoid prosecution; however, committing another crime during this period would result in prosecution for both offences.

The Government plans to provide special training to police officers, prosecutors and defence lawyers to strengthen this system. According to the President, a robust counselling and case filing approach would reduce court caseloads, allowing resources to focus on serious crimes while addressing prison overcrowding.

For more serious offences where counselling is unsuitable, the President stressed increasing the use of plea agreements. He noted that many democratic societies successfully use both systems to reduce court backlogs, adding that merely building more courts or appointing more judges would not solve systemic issues without properly implementing these mechanisms.