Police now searching both land and sea in Rilwan murder probe

The search and seizure operation by the police in connection to the 2014 abduction and murder of journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla has been expanded to encompass areas in both lands and sea.

Police confirm the operation is being conducted to enforce search and seizure warrants issued by the Criminal Court at the request of Commission on Disappearances and Deaths.

The operation began at approximately 6:30 pm on Tuesday and has continued into a second day.

Eight properties in Male’ City and Hulhumale’, and one property in Addu City was raided on Tuesday. And the police confirm three more properties are being raided in Male’ City and a marine search operation of the Male’ Area is underway this Wednesday.

The three properties being raided this Wednesday are:

• M. Lagoon View
• H. Fehiaabaadhee
• Big Man & Co. food outlet in Chaandhanee Magu

Rilwan, a journalist from Minivan News (later rebranded Maldives Independent), went missing in the early hours of August 8, 2014.

Commission on Disappearances and Deaths recently announced that it had evidence he was abducted from Hulhumale’ where he resided, forced into a car, put on board a dinghy boat and transferred to another vessel – onboard which he was beheaded, and his body thrown overboard.

The properties being raided are connected to some of the people named as suspects by the Commission on Disappearances and Deaths in its draft report on the case.

The properties searched include G. Anooraanee – which houses Secret Recipe, a fifth floor apartment in Gaakoshi apartment complex, H. Vaalee Villa – located in front of former Prosecutor General’s Office headquarters, H. Night View – located near Shop ‘n’ Save in Sosun Magu, and Ma. Petral.

The property searched in Addu City is connected to Mohamed Aqlyl (Kidu) – who the commission suspects had arranged for the vessel onboard which Rilwan was killed.

Other suspects whose properties have been searched include Samih Mohamed (Sawmith) from Th. Omadhoo and Ali Shiyam (VB Ayya) from H. Vaalee Villa.

The armed forces had maintained security in the streets of Male’ City amid the raids.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has promised swift action in response to the commission’s findings, warning the country’s law enforcement agencies would not hesitate to arrest anyone necessary in connection to the case.