Yameen rejects police summons, says he isn’t privy to any info to back arson claim

The police state that former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom told officers that he was not privy to any information to back his allegations that large blaze in 2024 that burned down a block of government buildings in Male’ City was an act of arson, when they attempted to serve summons to bring him in for questioning for the investigation into the allegations.

The fire broke out at a block of government buildings located in the Ameenee Magu of Male’ City at around 06:00 am on December 12, 2024. The buildings housed the Housing Ministry, Infrastructure Ministry, Environment Ministry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and three sections of the Male’ City Council – including the Vital Registration Department.

The police ruled the cause of the fire as an electric short circuit.

But at a People’s National Front (PNF) rally on Saturday, Yameen alleged that the fire was an act of arson, and the police were aware of the culprit and were in possession of evidence against them.

In a statement on Tuesday, the police said they believe Yameen’s allegations to be vital to the investigation into the fire, and had tried to serve him with summons to bring him in for questioning to the police headquarters in order to obtain the information he claimed to be privy to.

The police said that officers went to Yameen’s residence, H. Dhoovehi, at around 06:40 pm on Monday and attempted to serve him with the summons, but that he declined to accept it.

“We have received a written response referring to the remarks he made after refusing to accept the chit. In this letter, he stated that he wasn’t privy to any additional information regarding this case, and that there was therefore no need for him to attend the police headquarters,” said the police in the statement.

The police stated that the evidence point to the fire being the result of an electric short circuit, and that the investigation hadn’t uncovered any evidence to purse a criminal investigation against anyone.

“The Maldives Police Service takes this opportunity to urge everyone to provide their full cooperation to the investigation within the bounds of the law instead of disseminating unfounded information that create a bad public image regarding institutions working for the safety and protection of citizens and undermine confidence in the investigation,” reads the statement.

The police weredirected to investigate Yameen’s allegations by Home Minister Ali Ihusan.

The 2024 blaze marked the worst fire at a government building in the country’s history, and led to loss of important documents, including those related to public housing.