On the third anniversary of the assassination attempt on former President Mohamed Nasheed, the Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Aslam, has called on the government to expedite the investigation process and swiftly conclude the trial of the individuals charged with the terror attack. Speaking at the opening of Monday’s parliamentary sitting, Aslam emphasised the importance of swift justice.
The attack on Nasheed, who was then serving as Speaker of Parliament, transpired on 6 May 2021. The former president became the target of a meticulously planned attack involving a remote-controlled improvised explosive device as he was entering his vehicle on Majeedhee Magu. Ahmed Adhuham, the sole suspect convicted in connection with the attack thus far, has been handed down a 23-year jail sentence.
Aslam also called on the government to implement the recommendations made following a parliamentary inquiry into the attack. “On behalf of the parliament, I implore that the recommendations, as articulated and disseminated in the parliament’s inquiry report, be executed most effectively at the earliest opportunity to eradicate violent extremism and hatred from the Maldives,” said Aslam.
Meanwhile, The Democrats issued a statement on the third anniversary of the attack, expressing their condemnation of the apparent lack of justice for the egregious attack on the party’s founder. The party voiced its concern over the unsettling fact that the sole individual convicted of the attack was the suspect who had admitted to the crime, while the trials of other suspects have been delayed. Furthermore, some suspects have been released due to insufficient evidence, it said, noting that individuals who orchestrated the attack remain unidentified after three years.
The Democrats also expressed their disapproval towards the authorities for failing to enhance security for the former president as stipulated in the Constitution. This criticism relates to revelation by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) that they had intelligence indicating three separate attempts to assassinate the former president.
The parliament recently extended a formal request to the Ministry of Defence, seeking the most recent updates about the investigation into the terror attack. This request was prompted by a statement from Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon on 25 March, in which he indicated that the ministry had come into possession of new information concerning the attack on Nasheed’s life. However, he refrained from divulging any additional details at that time.
Five suspects are currently on trial over the attack. They are; Thahumeen Ahmed, Mujaz Ahmed, Ali Haisham, Mohamed Nazim, and Fahumy Ali. The most recent hearing in the case was held in February 2024.
