.svg)
Former President Yameen has refused to accept a police summons for questioning regarding his public claims that a major December 2024 government building fire was an act of deliberate arson.
News Desk
Former President Yameen pictured during a campaign trip to southern atolls - Photo: PNF
MALÉ: Former President Abdulla Yameen has declined to accept an official police summons seeking his attendance for questioning over public statements he made regarding a major government building fire in December 2024.
Speaking at a People’s National Front (PNF) gathering, Yameen alleged that the fire that destroyed offices housing the Housing Ministry, Environment Ministry, the former Construction Ministry, and sections of the Malé City Council was started intentionally. He further claimed that the Maldives Police Service already knows who committed the act and holds evidence related to the case.
Following instructions from Minister of Homeland Security Ali Ihusaan to probe these claims, police officers visited Yameen’s residence, H. Dhoovehi, at around 6:40 PM to serve the notice. However, Yameen refused to accept the paper summons from the officers.
Police confirmed that Yameen later sent a formal letter stating he holds no additional information regarding the incident beyond his public remarks. In the letter, Yameen maintained that as the police conducted the original investigation, authorities themselves should know the true cause, making his presence at police headquarters unnecessary.
Addressing the legal position presented in the letter, Yameen’s representative stated, “My client stated in a public forum that because this is a case investigated by the police, only the Maldivian police would know the cause of the incident.”
The refusal comes after Minister Ihusaan informed Parliament that an investigation conducted alongside foreign experts concluded the fire was caused by an electrical fault rather than arson.
