Man with fallen woman on drugs; police seize passport

A woman and a man found together shortly before she fell onto the rooftop of a house in Henveiru have tested positive for drugs, according to Maldives Police. The man’s passport has been seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

The 21-year-old woman was found lying on the roof of a house in Henveiru early Friday morning. She was hospitalised and later placed on a ventilator. Police confirmed that her condition has since improved, and she was removed from the ventilator on Sunday evening.

There had been speculation on social media that the man may have pushed the woman, prompting public calls for clarification. Police addressed the case at a press conference held at Iskandar Koshi.

At the briefing, Chief Inspector Samih Mohamed, Head of the Death and Homicide Department, stated that both the woman and her male companion had tested positive for cannabis. He said the man had also taken other substances. Both individuals consented to the tests, according to police.

Police identified the man as Raud Ahmed Zilal, nephew of Daud Ahmed, the Undersecretary for Digital Strategy in the President’s Office.

According to police, the incident occurred at approximately 4:52 a.m. on Friday. The woman reportedly fell from the fanlight on the ninth floor of H. Fentonoige onto the rooftop of H. Mitazge, an adjacent building.

CCTV footage reviewed by the police shows the woman entering the building around 4:30 a.m., followed shortly by the man. Police said the two individuals did not reside in the building and had not previously visited it. They are said to have spent approximately half an hour there.

The footage showed the pair moving between floors. At one point, the woman was seen wearing the man’s T-shirt while he was shirtless. From a camera on the eighth floor, a loud noise was recorded at the time the man was on the stairwell between the eighth and ninth floors. Police stated this was the moment the woman fell.

Chief Inspector Samih said the man tried to locate the woman after the fall by looking out of windows, but visibility at the time was limited. Police received a report at 7:23 a.m. from a member of the public who saw the woman on the rooftop.

Major Crime Investigation Wing Chief Superintendent Hassan Shifau confirmed that the investigation has not found evidence suggesting another person was involved in the fall. The police believe the woman fell on her own.

Prior to arriving at H. Fentonoige, the woman and the man were reportedly part of a group of eight individuals—five men and three women—who had gathered in a different house in the city centre between 12:00 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. Four of the group members left that house at around 3:40 a.m. and briefly entered another house on Henveru Aminimagu before moving on.

The two individuals later involved in the rooftop incident were the only ones who entered the Fentonoige house. Police stated the other houses were not searched, as it was not deemed necessary for the investigation. However, the residence of the man was searched.

When asked about the identity of the house connected to the initial gathering, police declined to confirm details. Social media claims that the house is linked to a senior government official remain unverified.

Police also confirmed that a disciplinary investigation is being conducted against the woman’s lawyer for issuing a press release related to a separate case.

The woman, although removed from the ventilator, has not yet been able to give a statement. Police said further investigations are ongoing.