No truth to accusations, called CP to give access to house: Ameen

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen said on Thursday that the allegations against him are baseless, adding that no investigative body had informed him that a relative was being criminally investigated regarding the case where 21 year old Hawwa Yumn Rasheed was found fallen on to the rooftop of a warehouse from H. Fentenoy on April 19.

The no confidence motion against Ameen, which was signed by 12 members of the opposition, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was scheduled for Thursday.

According to the motion, the case involves Ameen's relatives, and claimed that prior to Yumn's fall, a group of youths had a drug fueled party at Ameen's residence at MA. Maandhooge Dhekunuge. It also alleged that police had initially tried to cover this up and had also hidden information related to the search operation carried at the premises.

The no confidence motion, stated that Ameen had influenced Maldives Police Service to protect his relatives in the case, which is an abuse of the power granted to him as minister for his own gain. As such, the minister violated the law, they said.

During Thursday's parliament meeting, Ameen responded to the seven allegations against him individually.

Responding to them, he said no investigative body had informed him of a relative being investigated in connection to the young woman's fall, and that he has no knowledge of such a development.

He also said that although police had previously revealed a group had gone to his residence, the property is co-owned by him and three of his siblings. Ameen went onto say that it did not make sense for him to take the blame for an incident that took place in a property that is owned by multiple people.

Ameen further said that the incident in question did not even occur at his residence, and no investigative body had established crimes being committed at his place.

Because of this, it was at the discretion of Maldives Police Service to disclose or withhold the details of his address, he said.

He also denied that he influenced police in the interest of certain people, saying he did not have a reason to do so.

"Maldives Police Service does not operate under my ministry, and not an agency that is answerable to me in my capacity as a minister. As such, I have not influenced Maldives Police Service in any way," he said.

However, he admitted that, he did call then Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau after speaking with the rest of the co-owners, to inform him that his residence could be searched without a police warrant. However, CP Shujau did not answer his call, and it was not something he did to get a specific decision, but to make it easier for the government agency as he believes it was his responsibility as a minister to do so.

He also said despite claims that he had exerted influence in the case, it had not been clarified what influence he exerted.

Even if two of his nephews are connected to the case for the sake of argument, they are both adults who should take responsibility for their own actions, Ameen said.

"[They] are not my children. Not even my wife, nor my parents or people I am responsible for," Ameen said.

Even as he concluded his response, he reiterated that he does not have the slightest connection to the case.

Amidst public outrage over how police handled Yumn's case, the agency revealed that they were unable to get CCTV footage from the residence.

Following the incident, Izdhiyan Mohamed Maumoon, who is related to Ameen, was suspended from his position as Under Secretary at the President's Office.

As protests continue infront of Henveiru police station on a nightly basis, Ameen's resignation is one of the top demands of the protestors.