No connection between Rilwan’s murder and Pres. Yameen: PPM

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has stated that the citizens now know that there is no connection between Journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s murder and former President Abdulla Yameen or his administration.

The former ruling party made this statement in a press release after the presidential commission disclosed information on their investigation of Rilwan’s murder at their press briefing on Sunday.

PPM stated that, despite claims that Yameen had obstructed the investigation, the commission on Sunday only disclosed information that was obtained by the police during Yameen’s administration, adding that the suspects were charged based on that information.

The party stated that the citizens now know that Rilwan’s disappearance and murder had no connection with Yameen or his government, despite the accusation of the then opposition.

However, at Sunday’s press briefing, commission head Husnu Suood said that then president Abdulla Yameen had tried to divert the police investigation by sending officers to practitioners of black magic to find Rilwan.

He also said that that two officers in the police service attempted to fabricate evidence that Rilwan had gone to fight in Syria, by trying to obtain a copy of his passport from the Immigration Controller.

Suood said that former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb had also requested senior defence force officers to obtain a copy of Rilwan’s passport and trying to fabricate evidence to show that Rilwan died in Syria. Adeeb had also sent a message to then Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi, requesting to release a suspect in Rilwan’s case, and that the suspect was released after the message.