Police-aided removal of baggage from Mulee'aage raises eyebrows

The removal of baggage and boxes from Mulee’aage, the official residence of the president although he does not actively reside there, late Monday night has arisen suspicion.

Individuals concerned over as to what the contents of the baggage may be had gathered in front of the garage from where it was loaded on to pick-up trucks and carried away.

They demanded that Mulee’aage staff and the police reveal the contents of the trucks to the media. The police’s media unit had initially agreed to facilitate this but since decided against it.

The items seemingly included a washing machine and kitchen utilities, although two out of three trucks leaving the garage were covered.

Police in riot gear had dispersed the rally of people gathered outside the garage, who were at that point calling for the arrest and prosecution of President Yameen.

Several people took to social media to accuse Yameen of attempting to hide ‘stolen property’ and asked why the move had to been carried out so late into the evening.

President’s Office spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali denounced these allegations as ‘lies’ and maintained that ‘nothing illegal’ had been carried out of Mulee’aage.

Shortly after the baggage was removed from Mulee’aage, a number of items were surrepticiously destroyed near the ruling party's campaign headquarters in capital city Malé.

Shortly after the baggage was removed from Mulee’aage, a number of items were surrepticiously destroyed

While Mulee’aage is still called ‘the official residence of the president’, it has not been used in this capacity since former president Mohamed Nasheed resided there.

Every president since has resided at Hilaaleege, although President Yameen moved there after state-funded renovation and security upgrades were carried out at his private home.