Witnesses: Adeeb had 2 pistols, explosives at home

Three anonymous witnesses testified in court on Wednesday that former Vice President and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor had two pistols and explosives in his home.

All three witnesses testified that Adeeb had the two pistols and explosives in his apartment at G. Humashige, Male’, at around 1:30 am, May 1, 2015.

Two of the witnesses testified that Adeeb showed them two pistols kept in a black bag, and that they also saw an object with insulation tape around it – which Adeeb told them was an explosive – inside the bag.

“I saw a strange device like a phone and asked him what it was. He said it was an explosive,” said one of the witnesses.

The first witness who testified said that he knew the weapons were real by looking at it.

“It was a normal pistol. Not a toy. I saw pistols in Girifushi when I was a cadet,” said the witness.

The second witness said that he had not seen a real pistol before.

“I had not seen a real pistol before that, just in movies,” said the witness.

The third witness testified that he had seen a pistol and explosives lying on a table at Adeeb’s apartment in Rehendhi Residence. But that Adeeb had not personally shown him the weapons.

The witness said that he had secretly taken photographs of the weapons from his mobile phone – which he had handed over to police.

“I had the photos in my phone when I handed it over to police,” said the witness.

Adeeb’s defense team barraged the witnesses with questions.

The witnesses said they did know the brand of the pistols, or the serial numbers.

Two of the witnesses said that they had not filed a complaint with police at the time because Adeeb was a senior member of the government, and because they did not know if it was really an issue for a person in that position to have pistols.

Two of the witnesses also said that Adeeb asked them to inform him if anything went wrong during the Mayday demonstration. And to make sure that nothing went wrong.

“Adeeb requested that nothing go wrong during the Mayday demonstration. To keep him updated. To make sure nothing went wrong,” said one of the witnesses.

Judge Abdul Baaree Yoosuf – who will henceforth be presiding over the case – said that court accepted the two state witnesses submitted on time, as well as a third anonymous witness submitted afterwards.

Forensic report of a mobile phone – rejected by the previous judges – has also been accepted by Judge Baaree as evidence.