Yumnu’s “fall”: family demands Samih’s dismissal over false information claims
Yumnu's family said that it would be difficult to bring change within the system while being inside it
Chief Inspector of Police Mohamed Samih, head of the homicide investigation unit
The family of 21-year-old Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed has called for the dismissal of Chief Inspector of Police Mohamed Samih from the investigation for repeatedly providing false information regarding the incident where Yumnu “fell” from the ninth floor of H. Fentenoy onto the roof of an adjacent warehouse, on April 18.
The family has stated that false information was repeatedly provided to them regarding the investigation. Yumnu was found on the roof of H. Mithaaz in the early hours of April 18, injured beyond recognition and “left for dead” by a group of other young adults with her earlier that day.
In a post tagging President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on social media platform ‘X’, Yumnu's brother-in-law Mohamed Moomin said that it is difficult to bring change within the system while being inside it. However, change can be brought by dismissing Police Officer Samih who repeatedly provided false information to the family during meetings. He also stated that before forming a commission that would waste taxpayers' money, the first step should be to dismiss Samih. Moomin's post also mentioned that this is the first step.
Samih is the head of the Homicide Investigation Unit of the Maldives Police Service (MPS), which handles murder cases. In the first press conference held by the police, which was only for journalists, Samih had tried to steer the focus of the case in a certain direction. While revealing information about Yumnu at the meeting, he concealed information about suspects in the case and those in government political positions related to the incident, as well as those connected to them.
There were many questions raised due to the differences in the statements made by the police in the closed-door press conference and a press conference held later, which was open. During the open press conference held the next day, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen, uncle to two of the young adults involved in the case, repeatedly called the then Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau while the press conference was ongoing. Shujau has now resigned from his position.
In addition to this, in the press conference held by the police regarding the case, the Prosecutor General's Office has instructed the police not to further disclose any information that could compromise the dignity and honor of the victim, as personal information, photos, and videos of the injured person were made public. They have also instructed the police to structure their work to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Further, as some individuals summoned for the investigation of the case were suspected to be under the influence of drugs but refused to provide urine samples, and the police noted legal obstacles in obtaining urine samples during the press conference, the PG Office has instructed to investigate this as a case of refusal to provide urine samples if individuals refuse to provide samples when ordered to do so within legal principles.
The PG Office has also instructed the police to act equally in disclosing information related to criminal investigations, in a manner that does not infringe on the rights guaranteed to individuals by the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, to provide complete information transparently and clearly when publicizing information related to criminal offenses, and to disclose information in a way that does not hinder the investigation.
A special presidential commission has also been formed to investigate the case. However, among the three individuals appointed to the commission was Dr. Mohamed Habeeb, who has family ties to Raud Ahmed Zilal, who is the chief suspect in the case. However, he has now resigned.
Raud Ahmed Zilal, who was with Yumnu at the time of the incident, was arrested under a court order at 6:20pm on April 24. The allegations against him include being under the influence at the time of the incident, involvement in Yumnu's fall, and attempted sexual assault.
In addition to this, the phones of a total of nine individuals, including Raud Ahmed Zilal and the 21-year-old victim, have been seized under a court order.
In connection with the case, the terrace of Maandhooge Dhekunuge, the second and fourth floors, as well as the third floor of Kashiveli have been searched. The police have not disclosed whether anything was taken into police custody from these searches.
