No action taken yet against MNDF officer who is a lead suspect in Dr Afrasheem murder: MNDF

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has said that no action has been taken yet against the MNDF officer who is a suspect in the murder of religious scholar, former Ungoofaaru MP Dr Afrasheem Ali.

MNDF Spokesperson Corporal Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef said that the suspect Corporal Azlif Raoof is on pay leave, and he was on pay leave when the murder took place as well.

“He was on pay leave when the Dr Afrasheem was murdered. Since then his pay leave hasn’t been cancelled,” he said.

Abdul Raheem said that MNDF will investigate the matter and take action against Azlif.

“No action has been taken against him yet. MNDF will investigate and take action,” he said.

In court yesterday, Hussain Humaam Ahmed of H. Lobby confessed to killing Dr Afrasheem. He said that Azlif plays a lead role in Kuda Henveyru group, and that he plans and carries out stabbings and assaults in Male’.

Humaam said that Azlif is also involved in drug trafficking in the Maldives.

Humaam said that he was first told about the task of killing Dr Afrasheem by Azlif, and later, Hulhu-Henveyru MP Reeko Moosa Manik’s son-in-law Abdullah Javid (Jaa), Javid’s brother Janaa, and Azlif met with him in Jalapeno restaurant to discuss and plan the murder.

Humaam said that on the night of the murder, Azlif told Ali Shaan of H. Hicoast over the phone, the route taken by Dr Afrasheem in his car from TV Maldives to his home.