Maldives vice president arrested for blast investigation

Male: On Saturday, Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor got arrested after he was charged with “high treason” amid mounting speculation over his involvement in a blast on a speedboat carrying the president last month.

Haveeru online reported, he was arrested as soon as a flight carrying him from Singapore landed at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

Meanwhile, home minister Umar Naseer announced on Twitter that the vice president had been arrested and taken to the police detention centre in Dhoonidhoo.

He tweeted, “Charges: High Treason”.

Police confirmed separately that the vice president was arrested for investigation into the blast.

The police said, “Vice President Ahmed Adheeb has been arrested under a warrant for the investigation into the blast on the presidential speedboat”.

On September 28, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim were traveling to Male from the airport when the explosion took place. They had returned home that morning after finishing their visit to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage.

The president was unhurt, but the first lady suffered a spinal fracture while presidential secretary Fathimath Mohamed Solih and bodyguard Abdu Nasir received minor injuries including burns. The first lady is still in the hospital.