The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has instructed the Maldives Police Service to seek its written advice before destroying documents related to cases that have been decided not to be prosecuted.

The directive follows recent amendments to the Rules of Procedure for the Maintenance and Issuance of Police Records, which outline how police case files are to be managed and disposed of.

Under the revised rules, if the Prosecutor General determines that a criminal case cannot be pursued, the head of the administrative division responsible for maintaining police records may authorise the destruction of related documents within one year from the date of that decision.

Similarly, in non-serious cases where available evidence is deemed insufficient for prosecution, the investigator and their supervisor may submit a written statement confirming that no further evidence is expected to be obtained. Based on this, the head of the relevant administrative division may authorise the destruction of the case documents within one year from the date the case was filed.

However, the PGO noted that the law allows original documents from cases that were not prosecuted to be used in connection with other criminal investigations or proceedings.

Citing this concern, the PGO announced that it is currently drafting a guideline for investigative agencies on the preservation and destruction of documents in cases where prosecution is not pursued.

The PGO stated that until the new guidelines are finalised and shared with the Maldives Police Service, no original documents of criminal cases should be destroyed without first obtaining the written advice of the office.