Parliament set to hear no-confidence motion against Minister Ameen

The Parliament on Thursday is set to hear a no-confidence motion filed against Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) over allegations he abused his authority to interfere in a police investigation into the case of a young woman found injured on the rooftop of a building in Male’ back in April.

21-year-old Mariyam Yumnu was found injured on the rooftop of a warehouse in the Henveiru district at around 07:30 am on April 18. According to the police, their investigation uncovered that she fell from a skylight on the ninth-floor stairwell of the adjacent building, H. Fentenoy, but that there was no evidence of foul play – a claim that her family disputes.

Before her fall, Yumnu had been part of a group of at least nine individuals who were at Ma. Maandhooge Dhekunuge for a party, where they are believed to have possibly consumed drugs and alcohol.

The police had initially refused to name anyone else except for Yumnu. It wasn’t until six days later – on April 24 – that the police finally named eight people who had been with Yumnu in the party as persons of interest; Raudh Ahmed Zilal, 21; Izdhiyaan Mohamed Maumoon, 28; Aishath Layaaly Iqbal, 22; Yoosuf Ahmed Akram, 22; Yoosuf Yassar Abdul Ghafoor, 28; Aminath Junaina Jamsheed, 24; Hussain Hamees Ali, 28; and Ijaz Jaiz, 24.

Meanwhile, the house where the group held the party was confirmed as the family residence of Ameen, who admitted that two of his nephews – Izdhiyaan and Yoosuf Ahmed Akram - were among the group of individuals involved, but denied he knew anything about what he described as the “gathering.”

The same day, the police arrested Raudh, who had been with Yumnu in the last moments before her fall, for lack of cooperation. They also filed for court warrants to search the other two residences that Yumnu had been in before she went to Fentenoy – Ma. Maandhooge Dhekunu and G. Kashiveli.

The family links between the persons of interest in Yumnu’s fall and influential figures, including Ameen, and the seemingly sluggish investigation into the case has sparked allegations of a police coverup.

On April 29, the MDP submitted a no-confidence motion against Ameen with the endorsement of the 12 parliamentarians who represent the party, just barely making the 10 endorsements required to submit a no-confidence motion against a sitting cabinet minister.

MDP’s motion refers to the alleged drug use at Ameen’s family residence, and the involvement of two of his nephews in the case.

MDP alleges that the police were directed to hide the involvement of Ameen’s residence and his nephews, noting the police did not name any of the other persons involved or confirm that the group met at Ameen’s residence until six days later.

The party also alleges that Ameen attempted to influence the investigation and shield his nephews.

MDP referred to several constitutional provisions regarding the conduct of cabinet ministers.

• Article 132: The members of the Cabinet shall comply with all the provisions of the Constitution and the law, and shall faithfully discharge the responsibilities assigned to them by the President.
• Article 136 (a): A member of the Cabinet shall not hold any other public office or office of profit, actively engage in a business or in the practice of any profession, or any other income generating employment, be employed by any person, buy or lease any property belonging to the State, or have a financial interest in any transaction between the State and another party.

The party said it believes that having Ameen remain in the cabinet could result in loss of the rights of the people and disrupt the country’s safety and security.

The day before the MDP filed the motion, the police said that they had been unable to obtain CCTV footage from Ameen’s residence because they were told that the cameras in the house were broken.

The case of Yumnu, who spent nearly three hours on the rooftop of a warehouse before a neighbor saw her and alerted the authorities, has sparked serial protests in Male’.

The protestors, a vast majority of them young men and women, have been demanding justice for her, and the resignation of top government and police officials over the alleged coverup, including Ameen and Home Minister Ali Ihusan.

The police have said that both Yumnu and Raudh were heavily intoxicated at the time, and had both tested positive for narcotics. Clips of CCTV footage shared by police show Yumnu appeared to have trouble walking, and even fell down on the ground at one point.

The case is now the subject of an inquiry by a five-member presidential commission.

According to the Constitution, once the Parliament hears the no-confidence motion against Ameen, he will need to be served a 14-day notice before the legislative assembly debates on the motion. He has the right to defend himself, both verbally or through writing, against the allegations during the debate.

His dismissal will require a majority vote of the total members of the Parliament.

While the MDP had enough votes to submit a no-confidence motion against Ameen, it does not have enough to actually have it passed at the Parliament, in which the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) holds a supermajority with 75 out of 93 seats.