CONI report ‘missing’; case reported to police

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih says that the report publishes by the Maldives’ National Commission of Inquiry, following its investigation into the fall of the first MDP administration in 2012, has “disappeared”, and that a police complaint has been filed to find the report.

While MDP maintains that the fall of Mohamed Nasheed’s administration in 2012 was a coup, CONI found no evidence to support the claim.

At the presidential debate on Saturday, MNP’s leader and presidential candidate, Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim denied the allegations of his involvement in staging the coup, referring to the findings of the inquiry.

Addressing a campaign rally in HDh. Neykurendhoo on Monday, President Solih said that the CONI report had disappeared, and that he has filed a police complaint to find it.

“Someone mentioned a CONI report at the debate. Where is it now? No one knows. We have asked the police to investigate. This great confidential state document. Its no longer there,” he said.

“The investigation will reveal those responsible. We have reported this to the police. They are investigating.”

President Solih said that given the disappearance of such important confidential documents, voters must think deeply about the candidates before them.

Nasheed has resigned after months of unrest on February 7, 2012. He later said he was forced to resign, in face of mutiny.

However, CONI found no evidence to support the claim.

Then-president Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, who replaced Nasheed, decided to keep statements provided for the inquiry a state secret.

CONI found that Waheed took over as president in accordance with the law, and that Nasheed was not forced or coerced into resigning.

The commission spent six months on the inquiry, questioning 293 people – 15 of them repeatedly.

The commission began with three members, but later expanded to five, with former Singapore Supreme Court Justice G.P. Selvam, and Hassan Saeed – on behalf of Nasheed.

But less than 24 hours to the release of the report, Saeed criticized and resigned from the commission.

Nasheed later said he accepted both the concerns raised e by Saeed, and the findings of the inquiry.