President: I hope to see Rilwan alive

I hope to see missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla alive, says President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Speaking at a function held at G. Dh. Faresmaathodaa this Tuesday afternoon, Yameen said Rilwan wasn’t dead, and he hopes to be able to find him.

Yameen made the comment “to clear the erroneous interpretation” of the comment he made earlier this Tuesday at G. Dh. Madaveli.

Yameen commented earlier that Rilwan was dead beyond doubt.

“I wasn’t deciding whether Rilwan was dead or alive. It will be investigated by the police. What I meant was Adeeb’s statement is baseless,” said Yameen, referring to the statement by Adeeb earlier this Tuesday accusing Yameen of stopping a Cabinet-level inquiry into Rilwan’s disappearance.

“In Sha Allah, Rilwan is not dead. We will find him,” said Yameen.

Rilwan, who worked as a journalist at Minivan News (now renamed Maldives independent) was last seen in the early hours of August 8, 2014 and is believed to have been abducted.