Commission seeks charges against Dr. Shaheem, over MP's murder

The Presidential Commission on Murders and Enforced Disappearances is seeking charges against former Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, over the 2012 murder of Dr. Afrasheem Ali.

The commission, via Twitter on Wednesday, announced that the case against Shaheem has been forwarded to the Prosecutor General's Office for prosecution. Charges are to be pressed against the former minister for providing false information in the investigation into the lawmaker's murder.

The commission further disclosed that charges against the former minister have been filed at the PG Office for obstruction of justice.

While Dr. Afrasheem is to have met with Shaheem at the Islamic Ministry on the day of his murder, he told the inquiry commission that the MP had shown up at his office without informing him. However, the investigation revealed a thread of text messages between the two Islamic scholars that proved his statement was false.

According to Dr. Shaheem's statement to the commission by, the minister messaged Dr. Afrasheem, who was calling continuously to request an appearance on a live TV program, telling him that he will contact him later as he was busy in a meeting at the time.

Moreover, Dr. Shaheem further stated that Dr. Afrasheem came to the ministry without prior notice while he was in a meeting in order to request a meeting with Dr. Shaheem.

He claimed that Dr. Afrasheem insisted on waiting at the ministry until Dr. Shaheem finished the meeting, despite being notified that he will contact Dr. Afrasheem afterward.

As such, he claims that Dr. Afrasheem met with him shortly after Afternoon prayers and requested an appearance on that night's live TV programme.

The report quotes Dr. Shaheem stating "we held a meeting as per his request, not mine".

However, the text message thread included in the report shows that Dr. Shaheem initiated contact with Dr. Afrasheem, as well as the MP's appearance on the TV programme. Dr. Shaheem is to have also told him that a press conference will be arranged to publicly announce his "repentance", if the TV programme falls through.

The Ungoofaaru constituency MP was stabbed to death in the stairwell of his house near STELCO in October 2012. Two were charged over Dr. Afrasheem's murder, but only Hussain Humaam of Henveiru ward, Lobby of Male' City, was convicted and sentenced to death after a dubious trial.

Other than Humam, all the suspects arrested in connection to the murder were set free. The inquiry commission is also seeking charges against two other suspects.

Mohamed Mazeed and Saamith Mohamed are the suspected masterminds behind the murders of lawmaker Dr. Afrasheem, journalist Ahmed Rilwan and pro-democracy activist Yameen Rasheed. The commission announced that their case has been sent for prosecution on Tuesday.