Zakiyya’s death: authorities consider charges over police negligence in probe
National Integrity Commission seeks criminal charges against police officers for negligence in Zakiyya Moosa death investigation
The investigation into Zakiyya's death case revealed serious misconduct.
Consultations have begun with the Prosecutor General regarding pressing charges against police officers who were negligent in the investigation into the case of Zakiyya Moosa, whose body was found with injuries in Holhudhoo island of Noonu atoll.
The National Integrity Commission (NIC) has decided to request the Prosecutor General's Office (PG Office) to file criminal charges against the police officers involved in the investigation of Zakiyya's death case. In the document sent to the PG Office, it stated that several issues were identified from the investigation of the officers who conducted the investigation into Zakiyya’s death.
These include misconduct in official duty, misuse of official position, obstruction of justice, and interference with law enforcement and other state functions.
The case was submitted on August 7.
The PG Office revealed that the National Integrity Commission investigated how the police acted in the investigation of Zakiyya's death case, and has made allegations. They also said that the case is now at the stage of deciding whether to press charges. The PG Office also stated that they are seriously considering pressing charges.
Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan revealed that he believes there was negligence in the police investigation of Zakiyya Moosa's death.
Zakiyya was found dead with injuries on 10 September 2024. Minister Ihusaan said that he accepts the negligence of the police pointed out by the island community. He also revealed that some things have happened due to negligence.
With police negligence noted in the case, the family requested to isolate the police from the investigation, conduct a special inquiry related to the police investigation, and establish a special commission for this matter. However, the government has not yet responded to the family’s request.
The family has said that from the very first day, efforts have been made to convince the family and the people of Holhudhoo that Zakiyya killed herself. The family also said that the police are repeatedly working to obstruct justice.
Seven months after Zakiyya's death, the police have not made any effort to serve justice in connection with the case. It has been revealed that even in the statements given by the island's residents summoned for the investigation so far, the police have phrased them as they wanted, and they have not recorded what people said or what they saw as they saw it. Some witnesses have said that when they stated certain things happened in a particular way, the police disagreed and refused to record it in the statement as the person said it.
Further, during a trip to Noonu atoll by Minister Ihusaan and the then Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau to hear the public's concerns regarding Zakiyya's death, they confessed that there was police negligence in Zakiyya's death case. However, to date, no action has been taken against any negligent police officers. It has also been revealed that no investigation of them has been conducted either.
It was also noted that they deceived the family and the public by claiming to have conducted a virtual autopsy. There is no virtual autopsy report, and instead, what the police did was send the questions aimed at them by the public during the Minister Ihusaan and then-CP Shujau's trip to Noonu atoll to hear public concerns about Zakiyya's death case, along with some photos they wanted, to some people to get questions and answers, and then claimed to have completed a virtual autopsy report.
Zakiyya was found dead with injuries on 10 September 2024. Since then, the police have been conducting an investigation into the case. However, several have expressed concerns about some of the statements made by the police and the way the police investigation is being conducted.
In connection with this, protests have been held in the island on several occasions. Recently, as pressure from the island's residents increased, a team including Home Minister Ihusaan and Police Commissioner Ali Shujau visited the island on Tuesday. They also met with the residents of the island.
In a press conference held on 3 December 2024, the police stated that doctors had identified wounds to the neck as the cause of Zakiyya's death.
