A police officer has testified in court that an eyewitness reported seeing a man being forcefully taken into a car on the night of journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s disappearance.

The officer, Yaman Ali, was working at the Hulhumale’ police station during the night of his disappearance.

At the court hearing, Ali said the eyewitness reported seeing a man being dragged into a red car and taken away on the night of October 8, 2014. After receiving the report, Ali said he ordered two officers to the scene and began search for the vehicle. The license plates of all the red cars in Hulhumale’ were noted down but none were checked, he added.

The officer confirmed they found a knife at the scene of the alleged kidnapping, which is near Rilwan’s apartment building.

When the judge asked why the officers at the scene didn’t check inside the cars, he replied it was because they were probably locked and that it was also the responsibility of investigators.

Replying to another question, the officer said the eyewitness described the victim as a woman wearing green and red clothing.

Afeef Mohamed, the owner of the boat which had allegedly transported the red car from Hulhumale’ to capital Male’, also gave his testimony. Mohamed said he had taken a car to Male’ in early October 2014, but does not remember its color. He said he only knew about the car because he received the payment, and added that his boat has transported other vehicles at other times as well. The defense noted that Mohamed could not confirm if his boat had transported the red car.

Two of the accused, Alif Raud and Mohamed Nooraddeen are free from custody, and Mohamed Suaid’s trial is at a standstill since he is out of the country.