Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom used the words ‘incredible’ and ‘shocking’ to describe the arrests of associates Najma Ibrahim and Mohamed Azmee.
The two were arrested on Wednesday, on charges of having distributed bribes and planning to overthrow the legally elected Government of the Maldives. Najma, mother of an eight-month-old baby, is an employee at the Office of Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, while Azmee is part of President Maumoon’s personal security.
Stating that the arrest was ‘beyond comprehension’, the former President had tagged Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), Amnesty International, Ministry of Gender and Family and United National Human Rights Office in the tweet.
Incredible & shocking: a woman employee of my office nursing a 9-month old baby & a private security person were arrested by @PoliceMv last night on terrorism related charges. Beyond comprehension! @hrcmv @amnesty @UNHumanRights @Min_Gender
— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) February 1, 2018
Maldives Police Service (MPS) had confiscated a phone and a veil from Najma’s home and another phone from Azmee’s home, as part of their search.
The arrests came after President Maumoon’s son Dhiggaru Constituency MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon was arrested again on charges on bribery.
