Leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has told the police to “question those who took things illegally,” after being questioned by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) over missing documents from the former head office of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
On Thursday afternoon, the former President, who ruled the nation for 30 years, was questioned at his office, which is the former PPM head office.
Maumoon confirmed that he was questioned via twitter, saying a police team had “visited” him at office and asked him if he “knew anything about the missing PPM hard disk.”
“I told them I know nothing, and that they must question those who took things illegally and by force from our premises,” added Muamoon.
He also noted that officers who questioned him were “polite”.
A team from @PoliceMv visited me in my office today & asked me if I knew anything about the missing PPM hard disk. They were very polite.1/2
— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) January 12, 2017
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has been involved in a public battle over party leadership with his brother, incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, since June 2016. The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives has been divided into two factions since, the Maumoon faction and the Yameen faction.
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.
On Wednesday, Maumoon’s daughter, Yumna Maumoon was summoned to the police headquarters and questioned over the same matter.
After the dispute between the half-brothers began, Yumna, along with her twin-sister, Dunya Maumoon resigned from their respective posts in their uncle’s government.
Dunya, who denied that the bitterness between them had anything to do with her resignation, was appointed as a state minister at the Ministry of Health on January 5.
She had said that she was forced to make the decision due to “irreconcilable differences” on the government’s police in implementing the death penalty.
Both sisters were seen in the frontlines with their father, in the months following the fight.
While Maumoon has openly declared disapproval at Dunya’s decision, Yumna said that she remain with her father, “on the path of righteousness.”
