“Mihaaru” has learned that the National Integrity Commission (NIC) wants to press criminal charges against several individuals in connection with the death of Zakiyya Moosa, whose body was found in N. Holhudhoo last year. Among those the NIC wants to prosecute are Police Commissioner Ismail Naveen and several senior police officers. The Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office had previously stated that the NIC believes the police were negligent in this case and had begun consultations with the PG regarding prosecuting the police. The PG also mentioned that the NIC had sent cases against seven police officers to the Duty Prosecution.
According to available information, those whom the NIC has requested to be prosecuted include the current Commissioner Naveen, who was a Deputy Commissioner at the time of the incident, Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Riyaz, and the Head of the Major Crime Department, Chief Superintendent Hassan Shifau. The allegations against the police in this case include serious charges such as abuse of official authority, obstruction of justice, interference with state institutions, and mishandling of the deceased’s body.
Zakiyya, aged 50, was found dead near a storage area adjacent to the kitchen of her residence. Some family members and many residents of Holhudhoo suspect that Zakiyya, who had been suffering from mental health issues, did not die by suicide but was killed by someone. Eyewitnesses reported that when her body was discovered, her head was barely attached to her body.
One of the main concerns in this case is that Zakiyya’s body was buried without conducting an autopsy. Instead of a traditional autopsy, a virtual autopsy was performed. This report indicated that she died due to self-inflicted injuries.
A virtual autopsy involves using tools such as CT scans, MRIs, and photographs and videos of the body and crime scene to determine the cause of death. This type of autopsy can also detect various changes to the body and determine the causes of injuries. In Zakiyya’s case, some residents of the island have also presented their concerns to Home Minister Ali Ihsan and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
