Police have arrested two people in connection with the gruesome murder of a 62-year-old woman in Manadhoo Island, Noonu Atoll, last month. Naeema Moosa was found stabbed to death in her home on April 7. The latest development in the ongoing investigation was announced by Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed on Friday. In a tweet, the police commissioner said the investigation is progressing and that important evidence is expected to be uncovered at a specific location currently under search.
The police have so far not released the identities of the suspects in custody. According to media reports, the two individuals taken into custody are locals aged 20 and 25. Both of them have prior records related to drug offenses, with one of them already under custody on drug-related charges when the police connected him to the crime. This individual has now confessed to participating in Naeema’s murder. Previously, he had been charged with possession of a sharp weapon. According to sources familiar with the police investigation, the breakthrough in the case occurred when the authorities were able to connect the two suspects to the crime scene through crucial forensic evidence.
The investigation, led by the Serious and Organised Crime Department of Police, has been ongoing for the past month, with authorities meticulously collecting forensic samples from over 100 individuals on Manadhoo Island. The samples, including fingerprints and DNA, were obtained from people of various age groups.
In the wake of the horrific crime, the island community has been living in fear, concerned that the perpetrator might be someone they know closely. The island council acknowledged the profound impact the brutal murder had on the lives of the island’s inhabitants, describing how the once vibrant island has fallen into an eerie silence.
Reports citing some residents suggest that Naeema’s alleged involvement in witchcraft may have provoked hatred and animosity towards her. However, the police have not officially commented on these claims.
The absence of CCTV footage or other direct evidence has been a major challenge for the investigators and, as a result, they have relied heavily on forensic analysis and evidence gathered from the crime scene.
