Ihusan seeks probe into Yameen’s claims regarding green building fire

Home Minister Ali Ihusaan, on Sunday night, said that he has requested an investigation into allegations made by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom concerning the fire at the Green Building on December 12, 2024.

In a post on X, Ihusaan said a joint investigation conducted by the Maldives Police Service and international forensic experts from partner countries determined that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. The Minister added that police had informed him that the investigation found no criminal evidence implicating any individual in the incident.

However, Ihusaan noted that Yameen claimed on Saturday that the buildings had been deliberately set on fire and alleged that the police know the identity of the perpetrator.

"Therefore, I have requested the Maldives Police Service to clarify the information known to him and to investigate whether there are further matters that need to be examined in this case," Ihusaan wrote.

The Minister also said he has asked the National Integrity Commission to investigate the allegations made by Yameen against the Maldives Police Service.

The fire on December 12, 2024, caused extensive damage to the Green Building complex, which housed the Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Environment, leaving the facility unusable. Numerous documents were destroyed in the blaze, which also affected an office of the Malé City Council located within the complex.

The incident was among the most significant fire-related losses involving a state-owned building.

The limited information disclosed about the incident at the time prompted various allegations. Yameen had previously raised several questions concerning the fire, saying it remained unclear which documents had been destroyed and suggesting that no one was willing to disclose the specific nature of the missing records.