Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has expressed alarm over the Maldives Police Service (MPS)'s slow progress in the investigation into journalist Ahmed Rilwan abduction.
In a tweet posted on Tuesday night, the former president noted that it has been "three whole years" since Rilwan went missing, adding that that the Maldives Police Service "is clueless".
"An alarming situation," he added.
3 whole years have passed since Rilwaan went missing. @PoliceMv is clueless. An alarming situation!
— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) August 8, 2017
Maumoon's comment comes after police officers used force to disperse those who took part in a march held on Tuesday evening, demanding answers in Rilwan's case. Nine participants were arrested from the march, and released later in the night.
The former President, who withdrew support for the current government in 2016, had, back in September 2014 said that "no government institution has been negligent in its efforts to find the missing journalist". Rilwan was last seen on 8th August 2014.
Incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, Maumoon's half-brother, is yet to accept the family's request for a meeting.
