Witness statements of ten individuals have been taken on the case filed against former head of Presidential Security Ahmed Fayaz Ali Riza and two additional officers who had been charged with obstruction of duties in connection to the explosion aboard the Presidential speed boat.
MNDF EOD Department Head Ahmed Thiham and officer Moosa Zareer. Both have been charged with obstruction of duties.
Papa had been charged with obstruction of duties at the President’s launch when investigative officers had attempted to board the vessel and attempting to destroy evidence aboard the vessel. Additionally, Thiham and Zameer had been charged with attempting to destroy evidence on Papa’s orders.
A total of 10 witness statements were taken in Thursday’s court sessions.
One of the witnesses had given his testimony in anonymity. MNDF Sargent Ahmed Nisha, Sargent Mohamed Habeeb, Sargent Mohamed Ziyad, Launch Captain Sargent Mohamed Shareef, Sargent Mohamed Siraj, Launch Crew Ahmed Maleeh, Sargent Ali Firaq, Senior Launch Captain Ahmed Sameer and Aviation Security Command officer Mohamed Shareef.
Some witnesses had differed on who gave the order to locate the vessel to Fah’thila, with some saying that it was Papa who gave the order. The anonymous witness had testified that Papa had not allowed Police officers to board the speedboat, noting that they will be given access after MDNF EOD team had finished their search.
An additional witness had testified no evidence had been removed from the vessel prior to Thiham and Zameer, who had ordered to bring explosive detectors and other materials after they had boarded the vessel. The witness testified that samples were removed on Thiham and Zameer’s orders.
The EOD Officers testified that Thiham had questioned the officers, to which they had responded that gloves had not been used on such similar operations or trainings. They added that the launch had not been declared as a crime scene prior to this
Presiding Judge had revealed that only the Officer who had prepared the scene of crime report and an additional individual were to be reviewed. Judge had also said in the next trial the defense can present their witnesses.