Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Mohamed Shainee has said that President Abdulla Yameen had always instructed to seek the truth behind the disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

While there were allegations that senior government officials had a hand in Rilwan’s disappearance, including now jailed former Vice President Adeeb, an Al Jazeera exposé that featured content recovered from a mobile phone that had an apparent message from President Yameen telling former Housing Minister Umar Naseer not to be ‘too overwhelmed’ with the case.

Adeeb had released a press statement on Tuesday saying that President Yameen had ordered to halt the cabinet-level investigation into Rilwan’s disappearance.

Responding to Adeeb’s accusations, Shainee had taken to twitter in President Yameen’s defense, typing out in Dhivehi that he refutes Adeeb’s accusations as a cabinet member since the beginning of the administration. Shainee added that the President always instructed his ministers to discover the truth behind Rilwan’s disappearance.

Speaking to residents of Gaaf Dhaal atoll Madaveli island on Tuesday, President Yameen said that there was 'no doubt' that Rilwan is dead, which he later apologized for saying. Also, he denied Adeeb's claim by saying that the cabinet had not conducted any such investigation.