Naeema's Death: Police search abandoned house, council to boost security measures

The Maldives Police Service, on Sunday morning, searched an abandoned house in Noonu atoll Manadhoo, in relation to Naeema Moosa's death last Friday.

Manadhoo Island Council President Abdul Rahman Sabeeh told Mihaaru news that a house near the Noonu Atoll Hospital was extensively searched by the police this morning. However, they did not disclose any details of the search, he said.

"The house has been abandoned for a long time now. The owners live in another house on this island," Sabeeh said.

Naeema Moosa was found dead in her home on Friday evening after she had been reported missing earlier that day. According to sources from the island, there were several stab wounds on her body and lacerations on her neck.

She was buried on Saturday after the police collected evidence samples from her body.

The 62-year-old, who worked as an attendant at the council office, lived alone. She has three grown children, of whom only one lives on the island.

A special team from the police headquarters in Malé is currently on the island to investigate the matter further.

They have made no official comments regarding the incident yet.

Manadhoo council amps up security on the island

Noonu atoll Manadhoo Island Council on Sunday announced that it is seeking to install security cameras in different areas of the island.

The announcement stated that the council was seeking a party to install security cameras per their specifications in different areas of the island. Interested parties have been requested to submit their proposals to the council office.

The deadline for submission is 27 March.

The council's efforts to enhance security measures on the island come after Naeema Moosa's death.

The council's president, Sabeeh, told Mihaaru news that the council was planning on installing CCTV cameras around the island a year ago, too.

"This was something we had planned to do anyway as an added measure of safety and security for our community. But because of the current circumstance, we felt the need for this to be done urgently," Sabeeh said.

He said that security camera installation will be done in three phases: in the first phase, cameras will be installed in the island's harbour area, and in the following phases, they will be installed in other strategic parts of the island.

Immediately after Naeema's death, the council banned all entry and exit from the island without notifying the police, while the investigation was ongoing.