Daud dismissed for giving false statement in Yumnu fall case

Daud Ahmed Zilal, Undersecretary for Strategic Communications at the President’s Office, has been dismissed for providing false statements during the investigation into the fall of 21 year old Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed from a building in Male'.

President’s Office spokesperson Heena Waleed confirmed the dismissal in a post on X, stating it was part of the implementation of the recommendations made by the Special Presidential Commission that investigated the case.

Daud is the brother of Raudh Ahmed Zilal, the person who was with Yumnu at the time of the incident. She fell from the ninth floor of H. Fentenoy onto the roof of a adjacent warehouse, H. Mitaaz, located in Henveiru.

Daud had been suspended without pay since April 24 amid allegations that he attempted to interfere with the police investigation.

He was also removed from his role as President of the Presidential Youth Advisors Committee after submitting his resignation following public criticism over his involvement.

Yumnu’s fall prompted widespread concern and scrutiny, leading President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to form a special commission to investigate the incident thoroughly.

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.