Afrasheem's family rejects commission report on his murder

Prominent religious scholar and former Ungoofaaru MP Afrasheem Ali's brother Abdul Nasir Ali rejected the information compiled on Afrasheem's assassination by the Presidential Commission on the Investigation of Murders and Enforced Disappearances.

The commission, put together by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to investigate cold cases and unsolved murders, forwarded their investigative report on the scholar's murder to the authorities on November 14.

In addition, the commission revealed that the report on Afrasheem included information on the perpetrators that planned and funded the murder of the parliamentarian.

According to local media Mihaaru, the commission's report disclosed that a group of religious extremists tasked Azlif Rauf with orchestrating Afrasheem's murder.

However, the report has not yet been made public by the authorities or Afrasheem's family.

Regarding the rumours and allegations surrounding Afrasheem's death, his brother Nasir told Mihaaru that details formerly provided by Maldives Police Service are contradictory with the findings of the commission's investigation.

Police formerly speculated that Afrasheem was killed for political reasons, stating that the scholar's assassination was funded with MVR 4 million.

Nasir stated that the Presidential Commission claiming Afrasheem was murdered by extremists, while the police had formerly stated otherwise, was using the investigation as an excuse to create a spectacle.

"[They may] make another commission five years later and say fishermen were behind it, or actors", declared Nasir, who also sits on the Ungoofaaru Island Council.

Afrasheem was discovered stabbed to death in the stairwell of his home in the early hours of October 1, 2012. Hussain Humam Ahmed was found guilty of carrying out the murder, and his death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court.

However, the commission's investigation alleges Ali Shan (Sato) was involved in the murder as well. He was charged along with Humam but was not convicted.

Shan is currently a leading activist in Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the largest party of the ruling coalition.

Nasir reiterated his former belief that there was no hope for finding the perpetrators behind Afrasheem's murder, stating that Humam himself told Nasir that he was paid off with MVR 4 million to carry out Afrasheem's assassination.

"Afrasheem being alive would not have affected Humam in any way. Someone was behind the assassination. Since the first day, I believed those behind it will never be found", Nasir said.

As per the commission's report, alleged orchestrator Azlif utilised his gang members, who were involved in the peddling of drugs and alcohol, to carry out Afrasheem's murder.

The commission previously publicised a video of an individual sitting on a motorcycle near Afrasheem's house on the night of his murder. In the report, the commission stated that the individual was Azlif, who was providing instructions on how to carry out the murder.

Azlif departed overseas in 2015 while Afrasheem's case was under investigation. Later, rumours surfaced that Azlif was killed in the Syrian conflict, although authorities have yet to confirm his death.