News

Family seeks court's aid for info over missing journo

Family of missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan has asked the civil court to order the police to share information of the investigation into the disappearance of the young reporter.

Maldives Independent reporter went missing over two years ago and despite an extensive investigation, Rilwan's disappearance remains a mystery.

The dispute resolution of this case has now been started in the Civil Court.

Rilwan's family in a statement said they were forced to file the case in court as the relevant government authorities had failed to reveal any information regarding the investigation despite repeated requests.

Insisting that the family did not want the authorities to share information that could imepede the investigation, the statement noted that it had been nine months since the family had received information related to the investigation.

"Let it be noted that we still want the police to share this information outside of the court, in private," the statement read.

The family also stated that they could not wait and think that the investigation was still continuing, but that they wanted to know the details of the abduction, saying that the police must cooperate with the victims and their families for the mutual benefit of the society.

"So we request in court for information regarding the disappearance of our son, Ahmed Rilwan, to be shared with us in detail," the statement read.

Rilwan has been missing since the eighth of August, 2014.

Despite widespread opposition criticism and allegations of a government conspiracy, the government has insisted that that the police investigation into Rilwan's disappearance remains the most comprehensive to date.

Criminal court had freed the last two suspects in custody over the missing journalist due to a lack of evidence earlier this year.

Police had confirmed that Aalif Rauf, 29 years, and Mohamed Nooradeen, 31 years, were released after they were produced in court for remand extension.

The pair were arrested in April and remained in police custody before they were transferred to house arrest.

Police had said Rilwan was abducted from outside his apartment using a car owned by Aalif.

Police had also said confirmed that members of a local gang – led by Aalif – had tailed Rilwan for hours on the night he went missing. The chief suspect, Mohamed Suaid, was detained for a few weeks in September 2014.

Suaid left the country in January last year with Aalif’s brother Azlif Rauf, a former soldier arrested for the brutal stabbing murder of MP Afrasheem Ali in 2012. He was never formally charged.

The pair had reportedly died fighting in a battle in Syria last year.