President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has affirmed that he will act in accordance with the decisions of the Presidential Commission investigating the fall of Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed.
He made this statement in yesterday's 14 hour press conference at the President's Office, while responding to a question posed asking if he intends to dismiss Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen as is being demanded in the youth protests calling for Justice for Yumnu.
Ameen is being accused of exerting influence over the Police investigation into the fall of Yumnu. Yumnu was discovered fallen onto the roof of a warehouse at H. Mitaaz. Police have said that she fell from a fanlight in the 9th floor stairwell of adjacent H. Fentenoy.
Allegations of Ameen exerting undue influence was given more fuel when it came to light that he called then Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau while he was in a live press conference regarding the case.
The reporter asked President Muizzu if, in light of all this, he intends to dismiss Ameen from his ministerial position.
In response, the President stated that this case involved suspicious factors from its commencement. He said that this is why he formed the Presidential Commission, to look into the case objectively while remaining free from influence.
He stated that he would follow all advice included in the commission's final investigative report.
Meanwhile, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has submitted a no confidence motion to parliament against Minister Ameen.
Prior to going to H. Fentenoy on the night of the incident, Yumnu and a group of youth accompanying her had first gone to the building Ameen resides in - Ma. Maandhooge Dhekunuge, where they spent hours before leaving.
Ameen previously said that the building does not belong solely to him, but is also registered to three of his siblings. While confirming that the group of youth had gone to the building on the night in question, he said that he has no influence on activities that happen outside his own apartment.
He has also said that he had been out of the country on the night of the incident, only arriving at around 8:50am on the day Yumnu was discovered on the roof.
As per footage shared by Police, Yumnu fell between 4:30am and 5:30am on April 18.
Police have also been unable to obtain CCTV footage from Ameen's residence, Maandhooge Dhekunuge, citing that the cameras in the building are broken.
Police have conducted a search under a court order of the terrace, second and fourth floors of Maandhooge Dhekunuge, as well as the third floor of Kashivelige. However, the searches were conducted about four days after the incident, and Police said no items related to the case were found.
