Police investigation into Rilwan's abduction marred by dreadful dereliction: Hisaan Hussein

Hisaan Hussein, a prominent lawyer, who is representing abducted journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s family, has said that the police investigation into his disappearance is marred by severe negligence.

In an interview to RaajjeMV, at an event held to mark three years since the abduction, Hisaan said that family deserves to be notified of key findings in the investigation, including the status of his wellbeing – whether or not he is alive.

Hisaan said that murdered writer Yameen Rasheed, who has been described as Rilwan’s best friend, along with a number of others had approached her to represent the family. Her meetings with investigative officers in her capacity as the family lawyer had reportedly revealed that the police had been negligent in the investigation.

She further said that she had highlighted these points and forwarded them to the Police Integrity Commission, the statutory body charged with overseeing the policing institution.

Hisaan then mentioned how the family had filed a case seeking to have the police ordered to release relevant information to them in 2016, adding that they have a duty to do so.

The police said at a hearing held in early July for this case, that they have no information on what happened to Rilwan after his abduction.

“While they said this, they have also said that their investigation has revealed that they were abducted, clearly they have made some progress. The family deserves to know the details of this” Hisaan said.

She noted how the police said in 2016, that they are investigating the circumstances surrounding Rilwan’s ‘death’, which insinuates that they have made yet further progress that the family has not been made privy to.

“This means that they know Rilwan is dead, and yet they failed to inform his family – this is no small issue” she added.