Abdulla Luthufee, who led the November 3 1988 coup attempt on the Maldives is currently under supervision of Maldives Police in neighboring Sri Lanka, it has been revealed.
The police released an unexpected statement on Monday evening, revealing that then-Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation had filed a case with the police over Luthufee's failure to return back to Maldives two years after Luthufee was sent abroad by President Nasheed's administration in 2010 for medical treatment.
The case was filed around a month after President Nasheed resigned and stepped down from presidency.
The statement read that the police sought international assistance in locating Luthufee on the request of the penitentiary department, and an Interpol red notice was issued in an effort to locate Luthufee. On May 1 2019, Luthufee had voluntarily presented himself to the Maldivian Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the police admitted.
According to sources, Luthufee has been at the embassy for a month and 24 days. While the police had abruptly revealed that Luthufee is under police supervision, former Home Minister Umar Naseer, who had offered reward of US$ 10,000 to anyone who can provide substantial information on Luthufee's whereabouts, had claimed on Sunday night that Luthufee was being harbored by the Maldivian Embassy in Sri Lanka.
Assisted by armed foreign mercenaries, Luthufee led the attacks on Maldives on 3rd November 1988. Charged and convicted for treason, Luthufee was imprisoned for life. After he fled the country, the Criminal Court had ordered the ordered the police to arrest Luthufee. However, during Nasheed's administration, the sentence was suspended, and was sent to Si Lanka for medical treatment. He has been residing in the country since then as a fugitive. An investigation was conducted in the past into accusations that Luthufee was sent abroad using forged documents provided by the government.
The police in Saturday's statement revealed that the police and Maldivian Embassy in Si Lanka are working with relevant authorities to make administrative arrangements to send Luthufee back to Maldives, and confirmed that Luthufee is under police supervision.
19 Maldivians were killed in the 1988 attacks led by Luthufee during former president Maumon Abdul Gayoom's rule. Although Luthufee initially received the death penalty for his treachery, President Maumoon pardoned his sentence by lightening the sentence to life imprisonment. During Nasheed's administration, Luthufee was transferred under home arrest after which he was allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Home Ministry has previously stated that Luthufee was going by the name 'Zaan' in Sri Lanka to avoid being identified. He has given a series of interviews to Sri Lankan media 'The island' over multiple occasions, and described former president Mohamed Nasheed as an extremely close friend. He also expressed his hope of traveling back to Maldives if Nasheed came back to power.
The main ruling party of Maldives is currently Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Nasheed is the Speaker of the Maldivian Parliament.
