Commission finds Daud gave false statement in Yumnu fall investigation

The special presidential commission investigating the fall of Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed from an apartment building in Male' has concluded that Daud Ahmed Zilal, Undersecretary at the President’s Office, gave a false statement during the inquiry and that he had repeatedly called Homeland Minister Ali Ihusan during the investigation.

Daud is the brother of Raudh Ahmed Zilal, the man who was with 21 year old Yumnu when she fell from the ninth floor of H. Fentenoy onto the rooftop of H. Mitaaz, an adjacent warehouse, on April 18.

The incident sparked widespread public outrage and allegations of influence, prompting President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to establish a special commission to investigate the incident.

In his statement, Daud claimed he had not communicated with any senior government official regarding the incident and that Raudh had not shared any details with him. However, the commission's report, made public by the President’s Office, said that Daud contacted Homeland Minister Ali Ihusan multiple times on the day of the incident, contradicting his statement.

The commission further revealed that Daud received Raudh when he returned home after the incident. These interactions were not disclosed in his testimony to investigators, and statements from Daud’s acquaintances also showed discrepancies, suggesting a an attempt to obscure details.

"There were contradictions between the statements given by Daud and his friends, as well as inconsistencies between his statement to the police and to the commission," the report said.

The report also notes that Raudh, in his testimony, claimed to have no memory of the events that night. However, CCTV footage reviewed by the commission shows Raudh searching for Yumnu after she fell, before his contact with Daud and his friends. The commission believes that Raudh likely discussed the incident with Daud, but no steps were taken to notify authorities or provide assistance to Yumnu.

Yumnu remained undiscovered for hours due to this negligence.

The commission has recommended a further investigation into whether Daud and his associates obstructed justice or failed to report a person in need.

The commission concluded that it is unlikely Yumnu was pushed or jumped of her own volition. The commission believes Yumnu accidentally fell through the fanlight window while under the influence, citing the absence of physical evidence suggesting violence.