Suspect found hanging in jail cell buried after autopsy

The body of a detainee at the Maafushi Prison who was found hanging in his cell in an apparent suicide last week has been buried following an autopsy.

Abdul Ghanee Ismail, 62, G. Ehtheyomaage, K. Male’, was found hanging in his jail cell at 06:52 am on September 24. He was rushed to the Maafushi Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at 07:21 am.

His body was flown overseas for an autopsy on Friday.

A police spokesperson said that his Abdul Ghanee’s body was transported back to Male’ on Wednesday. He was buried the same day.

The police said the results of the autopsy remains pending.

Abdul Ghanee had been ordered to jail pending the outcome of his trial for the sexual abuse of a child.

According to a spokesperson from the Home Ministry, Ghanee was detained in March for the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl.

The spokesperson added that he had a pre-existing criminal record.

Ghanee’s death, which came less than a month after another custodial death by hanging, sparked concern from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). It accused the government of negligence, and called for an independent inquiry into the death.