Ex-President questioned over missing documents

Maldives’ police questioned former President, and leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Maumoon Abdul Gayoom regarding missing documents from the former party head office.

The former President was questioned by the police at around 1:30 pm on Thursday, at the former party office, located in Henveiru Themaa, now used as the head office of the party leader.

PPM has been divided into two factions since June 2016, as the former President and his half-brother, incumbent President Abdulla Yameen continue to be involved in a very public battle over party leadership.

After the quarrel began, Yameen’s faction of the party filed a case at the Civil Court, who, despite not having the jurisdiction to do so, ruled that the party be handed over to the President, who is PPM’s chief advisor.

Following the order, members of Yameen’s faction, with police assistance, transferred everything for Henveiru Themaa.

Afterwards, the faction filed a case at the police, claiming that certain documents were found missing during the transfer.

Maumoon's daughter, Yumna Maumoon was summoned to the police on Wedesnday, over the same matter.

Yumna is a council member of Maumoon’s faction of the party.

Following the fight between her father and half-uncle, Yumna resigned from her post in the government, and stood in the frontlines with Maumoon, in his work to reform PPM.

Her twin-sister, Dunya Maumoon had also resigned from her post as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in July 2016.

While Dunya denied that the bitterness between Maumoon and Yameen had anything to do with her decision- citing “irreconcilable differences” on the government’s policy in implementing the death penalty- she was constantly seen in the frontlines with her father as well.

However, on January 5, the government announced that Dunya has been appointed as a state minister at the Ministry of Health.