Former Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed has denied allegations of sexual abuse against him.
Speaking to the media after he was summoned to the Maldives Police Service (MPS), the former minister said the allegations were false and it is part of a political conspiracy against him. Expressing his frustration over the current event of incidents, Ali Waheed stated he refused to resign as the allegations were false and baseless.
Ali Waheed further said he expects a fair trial and for the people to know the truth behind the accusations after the trial, adding he will not remain silent. He said a lot of people worked to bring the current administration to power and said he served the country loyally.
On July 8, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ordered Ali Waheed to submit his resignation, after serious allegations of sexual harassment were raised by female employees of the tourism ministry. However, as the resignation had not been submitted in time, the president dismissed Ali Waheed from the cabinet on July 9 following complaints of workplace misconduct.
The police have since searched his residence and confiscated some electronic items including his phone and laptop. As part of the investigation, the police have also taken statements from 15 individuals against the former tourism minister.
MPS stated discussions are underway with the Prosecutor General's Office as it is working to collect all relevant evidence for the trial.