Maldives Police Service revealed on Thursday that the former Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed, who was removed from the cabinet following allegations of misconduct, has not been questioned by the authorities as of yet.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ordered Waheed's resignation last week following complaints regarding incidents of misconduct within the tourism ministry, which were lodged by the ministry staff at the President's Office and the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services.
During a press conference held on Thursday evening to provide information about two high-profile cases of alleged sexual assault - the sex crime against a Kenyan woman aboard a safari docked in Hulhumale' and the accusations against the dismissed minister of tourism - Police confirmed that the investigation into Ali Waheed was underway with counsel from the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office.
Chief Inspector Mariyam Azma revealed that the sexual harassment case against Ali Waheed was formally lodged at the authorities on July 9, after which the police collected statements from a total of 15 individuals.
Although a week has passed since the case was filed, the alleged perpetrator's statement has yet to be collected.
When questioned on the evidence against Waheed, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abdul Mannaan Yoosuf answered that "the investigation is being conducted to collect evidence", but refrained from confirming whether authorities have obtained any.
Inspector Azma noted that some residences were inspected in regards to the investigation.
In regards to placing Ali Waheed under a travel ban, DCP Mannaan stated that the measure was taken to ensure that authorities can summon the suspect for questioning while the probe is ongoing.
Reporters asked multiple questions, including whether Ali Waheed was caught on the CCTV footage of Maagiri Hotel. According to rumours and some local media reports, tourism ministry used one floor of the hotel as an office space during the lockdown imposed on Greater Male' area amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, police either deflected the questions or evaded giving direct answers, stating that the "investigation is still in the initial stages".
Waheed is among a number of politicians facing accusations, amid a string of high - and low - profile sexual abuse, sexual assault and harassment cases that recently surfaced.
Several protests have been held, the most recent being the 'JaagaEhNei' protest held on Sunday afternoon, to demand that perpetrators and authorities be held accountable and justice ensured for victims and survivors.
Meanwhile, public ire continues to soar over the government's meagre record of arresting and convicting perpetrators of sexual offences despite several promises to support the rights of children and women.
Sign In
