Yumnu’s fall: Home Minister to be questioned on whether criminal investigation is underway

The opposition is seeking to question Home Minister Ali Ihusan regarding whether a criminal investigation is underway against the individuals recommended in the report formulated by the presidential commission charged with conducting an inquiry into the ninth-floor fall of a young woman from a building in Male’ in April.

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

On April 27^th, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu appointed a presidential commission to conduct an inquiry into the case. The commission published its findings on June 17^th.

Opposition MDP’s North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo) proposed to question Minister Ihusan regarding whether criminal investigations are underway against individuals recommended in the commission’s report, and if so, their progress. 

Kudoo is seeking a written answer to his query.

According to the commission’s report, published on the President’s Office website, the commission found that CCTV footage, forensic reports and witness testimony rule out the possibility that a third party was involved in Yumnu’s fall.

The commission’s report highlighted faults in the police investigation, recommending improvements. They include:

• The investigation officer’s failure to attend the scene by the time processing the scene was completed resulted in the omission of critical information and evidence that was essential to the investigation at that stage
• The crime scene officer who attended the scene failed to thoroughly process all areas, neglected several key responsibilities expected of a crime scene officer and departing the scene after only a brief period
• Lack of effort to collect evidence from one of the most critical locations in the case—the rooftop of H. Mitaaz, where Yumnu fell – and the failure to establish a perimeter around the scene and preserve its integrity

The report also raised concerns regarding Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), where Yumnu received initial treatment. Specifically, it stated that the hospital's Family Protection Unit (FPU) failed to respond to a request from the ICU to assess whether Yumnu had been sexually assaulted.

Before her fall, Yumnu had been part of a group of at least nine individuals who were at Ma. Maandhooge Dhekunuge – the family residence of Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen - for a party, where they are believed to have possibly consumed drugs and alcohol.

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 had sparked allegations of a police cover-up and serial protests in the Maldivian capital.

The commission found that Ahmed Daud, who was serving as the Under Secretary for Digital Strategy at the President’s Office and the older Raud Ahmed Zilaal, the only individual charged in the case, provided a false statement during the investigation.

He was dismissed from his post shortly after the commission published its findings.

Notably, the commission, in its report, slammed Minister Ameen calling then-Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau over the case in the midst of a press conference, as “unacceptable”. However, the commission said the call had no impact on the case. 

Four months into the incident, the Police have yet to obtain Yumnu’s statement.

Yumnu, who sustained serious injuries in the fall, including multiple fractures, was initially at IGMH.  She was flown to a hospital in Malaysia for further treatment on the night of April 26th.