Commission report unveils repeated interactions between Daud and Ihusaan in Yumnu case
Minister Ihusaan, repeatedly shared information related to the investigation into the incident with Daud, the brother of the chief suspect in the case
Former Under Secretary to the President’s Office, Daud Ahmed, and Home Minister Ali Ihsan
It has been revealed that Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, repeatedly shared information related to the investigation into the incident involving 21-year-old Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed, who fell from the stairwell window of the ninth floor of H. Fentenoy, with former Undersecretary for Digital Strategy at the President’s Office Daud Ahmed, the brother of Raud Ahmed Zilal, the chief suspect in the case.
This was revealed in the report compiled after concluding the investigation into the presidential statement related to the case. The report has now been made public.
The report states that Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ihusaan provided information about the operation conducted by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) regarding the case, to Daud, the brother of Raud Ahmed Zilal, who is suspected in the case. The report mentions that Ihusaan repeatedly provided information to Daud regarding the incident. In addition to this, the report also stated that there was repeated communication between Ihusaan and Daud on April 19 as well.
According to the report, Ihusaan provided some information about the police operation to Daud. The report also highlighted that there was communication between Ihusaan and Daud via phone on April 19.
The report further stated that after calling Ihusaan, Daud said, "They have arrested and taken away my younger brother." In addition to this, the report highlighted that when Daud informed Ihusaan about this, Ihusaan said he would look into it. The report reveals that Ihusaan and Daud have known each other since the 2023 presidential election campaign.
Further, the Presidential Commission's report stated that Daud told Ihusaan that he was not arrested and that the police only wanted to search their house. These communications took place on the night Yumnu was found fallen, before the information was revealed to the press.
As the report exposed that Daud gave false statements to the investigation, he has been dismissed from his position as the Undersecretary for Digital Strategy at the President's Office. However, no action has been taken against Ihusaan, who provided investigation information to Raud.
The police investigation into Yumnu's fall in the early hours of April 18 has been subject to criticism from several members of the public. Many young adults in Malé City also held a series of protests, expressing distrust in the police's statements and the institution’s handling of the case. The police institution did not make any effort to find evidence from the roof of H. Mithaaz, where Yumnu was found fallen. It has been revealed that the investigation officers and scene of crime officers who went to Fentenoy for investigation on the evening of April 18 did not climb onto the roof of H. Mithaaz to search for evidence either.
