Police: Not yet confirmed if Rilwan reached Hulhumale

The Police have said that it cannot yet been confirmed if Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla, a journalist who is believed to have been missing since 8 August, reached Hulhumale’, or even boarded the ferry to Hulhumale’.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday night (17 August), Head of Serious and Organised Crime Department of Maldives Police Service, Chief Inspector of Police Ahmed Shatheeh said, “The [CCTV] footage shows him entering the Hulhumale’ Ferry Terminal in Male’. Whether he got off the ferry at Hulhumale’, or reached Hulhumale’ – this cannot be confirmed.”

He further said that Rilwan’s last phone activity was recorded at 2:30 a.m. on 8 August.

In response to a question by a reporter, Shatheeh said that the final signal for his phone was recorded from a location in Male’, but this does not confirm that his phone was in Male’ at that time.

When asked if the video footage, which shows Rilwan entering the Hulhumale’ Ferry Terminal in Male’, also shows him leaving the terminal, Shatheeh declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.