Court extends remand of suspects involved in abduction of minor

L. Gan Magistrate Court has granted a 15-day extension to the remand of the three men intercepted by authorities on March 10 while travelling a dinghy boat with the underage sister of 19-year-old Aminath Shima Nafiz – who has been missing since February 22.

The three suspects had left on the dinghy boat with the young girl from L. Maamendhoo at approximately 4 pm, and were intercepted by authorities off the coast of Six Senses Laamu Resort.

The 15-day remand granted by the court on March 11 comes to an end this Tuesday, and the suspects were brought to the court for an extension to the remand period.

The court obliged with the request by authorities and granted a 15-day extension to the remand of all three suspects.

The sister of the girl the suspects are accused of abducting, Shima was travelling from L. Kadhdhoo to L. Maamendhoo on a dinghy boat operated by one of the suspects – Ibrahim Fazeel - when she went missing.

He is the last person to have had contact with Shima before she went missing, and the person who reported that she went missing when the dinghy boat they were travelling on capsized.

Authorities have not found either Shima, or the dinghy they were travelling. And the family has voiced suspicion over Fazeel’s account of events.

A local from Maamendhoo who witnessed the three men leaving the island with Shima’s sister reported they were all wearing disguises.

Maldives Police Service identified the suspects only as a 26-year-old, a 24-year-old and a 22-year-old.