Vice president is innocent, says lawyer

Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, arrested today on suspicion of links to an alleged assassination attempt on President Abdulla Yameen, has called for an impartial inquiry, according to his lawyer.

Hussein Shameem, who had met with Adeeb at the Dhoonidhoo Island detention center this evening, told the press tonight: “The vice president says he has not committed any crimes. This is because, he has returned from an official trip abroad, if he had wanted to he could have stayed away. The vice president has no involvement, no links to this incident.”

The vice president was arrested at midday today as he stepped off a flight from Singapore. He had returned from China after concluding an official visit.

Police officers had presented a secret intelligence report to obtain the arrest warrant, Shameem said.

“Other than the intelligence report, there is no other evidence, from what we can tell.”

Malé is on alert as raids on Adeeb’s residences and the homes of his close associates continue. Some 17 people have been arrested since.

Adeeb will be brought before a judge tomorrow if police want to extend his detention. He has not been questioned since his arrest, Shameem said.

The inquiry must not turn into a witch hunt, the former deputy prosecutor general said, adding that Adeeb would cooperate fully with the police.

“He says he has not committed any crimes at any time. He believes if this incident is properly investigated, his innocence will be proven. His houses have been raided, his close associates have been arrested. He wants to assure the public he has nothing to hide. He says he will cooperate fully with the police.”

Adeeb left the Maldives on Yameen’s request on October 13 to attend a conference on trade hosted by the Chinese Communist Party and to inaugurate an investment forum organized by the government.

“The vice president believes if he was a suspect, if he was so dangerous, he would have been arrested earlier and he would not have been sent abroad to represent the Maldives,” Shameem said.

Adeeb had returned despite receiving clear threats to his life, the lawyer added.

Yameen is to address the nation tomorrow morning.