One of the most prominent bloggers in the country, pro-democracy activist Yameen Rasheed was stabbed to death in a brutal attack early morning on the 23rd of April. He was found on the staircase of his home with multiple stab wounds. The residence, Maafannu Spatula, is located on the intersection of Iskandar Magu and Ameenee Magu.
While the Maldives Police Service conducts its investigation on his murder, RaajjeMV has been doing an independent inquiry on the well-planned murder as well. This report includes the findings of RaajjeMV’s investigation;
RaajjeMV has acquired video footage from the night, which shows the events leading up to the stabbing, and what happened afterwards. It shows two individuals entering Maafannu Spatula at 2:01 am on Sunday morning, and one is seen leaving the house on a motorcycle at 2:07 am.
Two more individuals are seen heading towards the house from Riyaasee Hingun and they enter the house at 2:27 am. Prior to this, a middle-aged woman is seen passing by the house. In addition, a motorcycle and car pass by as they entered the house as well.
Not long after these two individuals entered Maafannu Spatula, another is seen entering after them, at 2:28 am. RaajjeMV’s findings show that the man who entered the house at 2:28 am was Yameen Rasheed.
At that time, an individual is seen walking back and forth from Riyaasee Hingun and Iskandhar Magu, at 2:29 am. He is seen holding a cigarette and a phone. At 2:30 am, a garbage lorry enters Iskandhar Magu, from which two people exist and proceed to clean up the road.
The two individuals who entered Maafannu Spatula are seen leaving the building at 2:31 am, as they left hurriedly, two individuals are waiting for them on the corner of Iskandhar Magu, in two motorcycles. They got on the cycles, and traveled straight ahead on Iskandhar Magu. Even when they left the building, the garbage lorry was still on Iskandhar Magu, with its headlights off. The lorry also left in the same direction, as soon as the individuals on the motorcycles leave.
Soon after an individual is seen exiting a café – café Two Four-Four – near Maafannu Spatula, and proceeded to sweep the area in front of the hotel.
At 2:38 am, an individual is seen entering Maafannu Spatula. He exists the building as soon as entering, gets on a bike parked on the corner of the road and leaves.
Later, at 2:43 am, the footage shows another individual entering the house. He is exits hurriedly after entering, and proceeds to make multiple phone calls. This individual is believed to be the man who reported the attack. Footage shows him pacing infront of Spatula until two police officers arrive on a motorcycle. The individual is seen talking to the two officers, pointing towards Spatula house. One of the officers enter the building at 2:50 am, and exits at once.
A minute later, at 2:51 am, a police vehicle stops in front of the building. The officer who entered the building is seen saying something to those in the car, after which the officers decided to turn on the siren. At 2:53 am, more officers arrive at the area. A police van is seen arriving at 2:58 am, and parks near the Two Four-Four café.
In addition to a number of uniformed officers, a forensic team is seen active in the area. At 3:01 am, officers transfer Yameen Rasheed’s body onto their vehicle and leave. The forensic team stays behind, and is seen taking photos of the area.
RaajjeMV’s findings show that Yameen Rasheed’s barbaric murder had been planned with its application thought-out a beforehand. While the individuals who had attacked him entered the house a minute before he arrived home, a third individual was outside monitoring the area. Those who attacked Yameen Rasheed did so within a span of just four minutes.
While there are a number of CCTV cameras in the area, it is certain that those placed on Riyaasee Hingun would have captured the faces of those who attacked Yameen Rasheed along with the motorcycles they were on, and the scout monitoring outside while they committed the act.
