Dr. Mohamed Munavvar, the head of the presidential commission charged with conducting an inquiry into the ninth-floor fall of a young woman from a building on Male’, said on Wednesday that he believes there’s a lag in the police investigation into the case.
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.
But before her fall, she 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 has sparked allegations of a police coverup and serial protests in the Maldivian capital.
On early Sunday, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu appointed a presidential commission to conduct an inquiry into the case. He initially appointed a three-member commission, and made changes to the composition of the commission the next day after one of the members resigned. The commission is now composed of five members, led by Munavvar.
On Wednesday afternoon, the commission held its first press briefing since its inception. Reporters questioned whether the commission is confident they will be able to conduct a free and fair inquiry and produce results.
Responding to this question, Munavvar said he believes there is a lag in the investigation into the case.
Dr. Mohamed Munawwar, president of the presidential commission for inquiry into Mariyam Yumnu's fall, speaks to reporters on April 30, 2025. (Photo/President's Office)
“There is a delay in investigating this incident. I acknowledge that,” he said.
Munavvar said he understand the great need to establish justice in the case.
Munavvar said that the commission is mandated to ascertain that relevant investigative agencies have taken all necessary action to uncover the facts surrounding the incident, but that the commission will need to take action is the criminal investigation is found lacking.
He also said that the commission was set to meeting with police after the press briefing to obtain the information they have gathered in the case.
He said the commission will understand which “direction” the inquiry will take once they meet with the police and review the information.
“I do not dare to say that this is what is happening in this [case]. But what we are saying is that we are tying to take a different approach. Meaning that we are working to produce results. What results look like in this is reaching justice as desired by the people,” he said.
Munavvar said the commission will take immediate action if and when it establishes negligence on the police side.
He repeatedly expressed confidence in being able to conduct a free and fair inquiry.
Munavvar is joined in the commission by Brigadier General (Retired) Ahmed Mohamed, Dr. Moosa Murad, Jabeen Mohamed, and Aminath Eenas.
Dr. Mohamed Munawwar (C), president of the presidential commission for inquiry into Mariyam Yumnu's fall, speaks to reporters on April 30, 2025. (Photo/President's Office)
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 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 court order issued on April 25 for Raudh’s initial remand extension shows investigators believe Yumnu and Raudh had argued before she fell – something the police hadn’t mentioned in two press briefings held in the wake of the incident.
It also says that when questioned shortly after Yumnu’s fall, Raudh had responded with “I don’t know where she is” and “I think she fell.”
His remand was extended by another 10 days on Wednesday.
The then-Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Shujau bowed under pressure and tendered his resignation on April 26, following four straight nights of protest, and was replaced with Ismail Naveen as acting CP.
Yumnu, who sustained serious injuries in the fall including multiple fractures, was flown to a hospital in Malaysia last weekend. The family received USD 25,000 (MVR 385,500) from the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), and the rest of the money needed for her medical treatment was raised through a fundraiser.