Inquiry into deportation of Maldivian teen

by Manjula Fernando

The Minisry of Foreign Affairs has decided to initiate an internal inquiry on the extradition of Maldivian teen, the main suspect in the assassination bid on Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen.

The inquiry will strive to ascertain if the officials have violated the country's immigration laws when the Maldivian national was handed over last week.

The main suspect in the case, 18-year-old Ahmed Ashraf, was apprehended by CID sleuths in civil from a house in Dehiwala, last week. The suspect was living there with his mother. Soon after his arrest, on Monday, the suspect was handed over to Maldivian law enforcement authorities, who took him back to Maldives the same day.

Foreign Ministry Media Spokesperson Maheshini Colonne said, since there had been indications that his extradition violated the Immigration and Emigration Laws, an internal inquiry is to be initiated to ascertain if any officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affiars were responsible, based on the laws prescribed in Section 28 and 31 of the Immigration and Emigration Act, which deals with deportation and extradition of a foreign national.

The Maldivian Government claimed there was an assassination bid on President Yameen while he was returning to the mainland in a speed boat after arriving from a Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The President was unhurt but the first lady and two aides sustained injuries.