Munawwar pledges independence in woman's fall probe

Dr Mohamed Munawwar, Chairperson of the Presidential Commission investigating the fall of Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed from the ninth floor of a building onto the rooftop of an adjacent warehouse, stated Wednesday that he will resign if any attempt is made to influence the commission’s work.

Speaking at the commission’s first press conference since its establishment by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday, Munawwar said he is committed to ensuring that the investigation is conducted independently.

“I am sure that this work can be carried out completely independently. If this cannot be carried out independently, or if there is pressure to decide something under the influence of anyone, I will resign immediately,” he said. “The moment anyone, including someone from the government, tries to exert any kind of influence, I will expose it to the people.”

Munawwar, who served as Attorney General and later as President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) during the administration of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, acknowledged his close ties with several political figures but said these relationships would not impact his work. He added that those who know him would understand that influencing him would not be easy.

He further stated that he has no doubts about the integrity of the commission’s members and reiterated that the commission would carry out its work independently.

When asked about the lack of confidence expressed by Yumnu Rasheed’s family in the commission, Munawwar acknowledged public scepticism towards similar commissions formed by previous administrations.

“People have not accepted the results of past commissions. Therefore, there is no reason to expect them to trust this one,” he said. “However, this commission will be different. The results will demonstrate that.”

He added that the commission’s scope includes investigating whether there was any negligence or undue influence on the part of the police during the investigation.