Ex-President Yameen's party refutes allegations made by former spokesperson

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has refuted allegations made on Wednesday by the President’s Office spokesperson during former president Abdulla Yameen’s tenure.

PPM said in a statement that the allegations and statements he made are ‘complete and utter lies’ and that they would take all necessary action against him. PPM condemned the allegations.

Former spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali revealed his account of the 2015 blast aboard the presidential speedboat ‘Finifenmaa’, which Yameen claimed was an attempt to assassinate him.

Muaz claimed President Yameen switched seats with his wife, Fathimath Ibrahim, who was injured in the blast and immediately treated at a local hospital.

Muaz claimed that the seat was where Yameen usually sat when aboard the speedboat and that his actions on the day of the blast were ‘irregular’, adding that Yameen ‘was nowhere to be seen’ as former first lady Fathimath fell to floor from the blast.

The former spokesperson, who has expressed staunch support for Yameen in the past, said that he has ‘many suspicions’ about the blast, claiming that there was no ‘fire’ or sparks on the speedboat, despite a video showing otherwise.