Minister Fowzie’s granddaughter assaulted at court

State Minister A. H. M. Fowzie’s granddaughter – Attorney-at-Law Fathima Hafsa has lodged three complaints for allegedly intimidating and assaulting her within the court premises. 

The complaints have been lodged against her ex-husband Dr. Shazli Mowjood, who is on bail and allegedly carried on these acts in breach of bail conditions, a statement said. 

“Three complaints were lodged with Court Police, Women’s and Children Bureau and the National Authority for The Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses, against Dr. Mowjood for allegedly punching her in the stomach and threatening to kill her in the event she continues to be witness against the assailant.” 

The incident was immediately brought to the notice of the Magistrate, according to attorney-at-law Santhush Fernando. Furthermore, following the assault the complainant was admitted to National Hospital for a medical check-up.

Earlier 37-year-old Wazeer Ahamed, a Director of a company belonging to the family of the powerful Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Minister – A. H. M. Fowzie, claims that these assault, death threats against him, his co-complainant and his family members and intimidation of Police officers in executing their lawful duties emanating from the Minister’s family have gone unfettered and have proved nothing but otherwise. 

Ahamed earlier told media that with degrading good governance and rule of law and increasing intimidation, he has very little hope in law enforcement (i.e. the Police).

“In fact my case too is coming up in March, but from the actions taken by the Police so far and personally seeing the helplessness of the Narahenpitiya OIC in handling this case, we can’t expect much, with the Minister Fowzie being a senior member of the Good Governance administration. Our plea is allow course of justice to take place without any hindrance just as pledged by the crusaders of good governance,” lamented Ahamed.   

He claims that although several complaints had been lodged by him and Attorney-at-Law Fathima Hafsa the granddaughter of Minister A. H.M. Fowzie) against repeated acts of criminal intimidation and threats during the last two years, the Police are unable to take action because they were lodged against a daughter, two sons and other family members of the minister. 

A complaint lodged by Attorney-at-Law Fathima Hafsa recorded at CIB 179/64 at the Narahenpita Police Station on 12th January 2017, states that her uncle Namaz Fowzie intimidated and influences Police personnel preventing justice being meted out to her and Wazeer Ahamed. 

According to the complaint, her ex-husband Dr. Muhammed Shazli Mowjood, arrived at her residence and office of OSH Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. (of which the complainant was the largest shareholder and a Director) in order to pick their son at 1PM (two hours later than the time permitted by court) had begun an altercation with the other Director and Co-complainant Wazeer Ahamed, refusing to move his vehicle from the entrance. 

According to the complaint, after verbally abusing Ahamed, Dr. Mowjood stormed into the house, began to throw things about and finally ended up striking his ex-wife and complainant (Fathima Hafsa). 

According to the complainant, the strangest turn of events is that despite the Police offers who arrived at the scene witnessed the disarrayed living room and also scars visible on the face and body of Hafsa; the Narahenpita Police vehemently refused to include anything about the scars as the family of the Minister feared an immediate arrest, undoubtedly due to influence from Minister Fowzie’s son and her uncle – Namaz Fowzie. 

Ahamed says Police failed to take legal action against the perpetrators, till Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara intervened. Thereafter finally though legal action was initiated under Magistrate Court no 03 at Hultsdorf, under case no MC 75737/03/17 against Mohamed Nauzer Fowzie, his sister Narmila Fowzie and two thugs brought in by them, namely- Zeinu Mohamadu Anver Sadar and Lebbe Mohamed Mahir,  charging them for criminal intimidation under Section 486 of the Penal Code (read with Sec 32)  threatening complainants Wazeer Ahamed on 15th September 2016  and Fathima Hafsa  with death; none of the assailants had been arrested so far. 

Despite legal action being initiated by Ahamed and Hafsa, members of the Ministers family continue to harass and threaten the two complainants and their family members, the statement by attorney-at-law Santhush Fernando said.    

Ahamed claims that although he was assaulted in front of the OIC of the Narahenpita Police and both Narmila and Nawzer Fowzie uttered threats stating that they ‘will kill Ahamed’ and that ‘no Police or judge can save him’ adding that the ‘government is theirs and all these people work for them’.