Former ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof has claimed a group of ten men attempted to break in to his apartment last night after Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb threatened him over the phone.
In a tweet at 10:15 pm on March 15, Mahloof claimed the group tried to forcefully enter his home around 9:30 pm.
After a warning phone call from Adheeb a gang of 10 approached to enter my apartment around 21:30
— Ahmed Mahloof (@AhmedMahloof) March 15, 2015
The Maldives Police Services confirmed they are investigating a case where “a suspicious group of people knocked on Henveiru East Light before taking off.”
Adeeb has denied the allegations, claiming Mahloof was getting paid or bribed to defame him and President Abdulla Yameen.
Adeeb shared a screenshot of an alleged text conversation between Mahloof and Adeeb, where Mahloof appeared to threaten him saying “things would get ugly tonight” and that he could ruin the tourism minister’s name with “only one tweet.”
@AhmedMahloof I wonder how much Reload you got for this Tweet, & How much Reloads r waiting for u to defame me & HEP pic.twitter.com/YzS59sxJZA — Ahmed Adeeb (@Ahmed_Adeeb) March 15, 2015
Reload in the tweet refers to a local term for topping up credit on mobile phones.
Mahloof in a subsequent tweet claimed the screenshot of the text messages were fabricated. He also shared a recording of the phone call in which he claims Adeeb threatened him.
Alhugandu boluga ilzaameh alhuvaa alhugandah 5M dhinkamah bune @Ahmed_Adeeb inzaarudhin phone call https://t.co/BZJRHGcBq3
— Ahmed Mahloof (@AhmedMahloof) March 15, 2015
In the recording, which appears slightly edited, Adeeb said he had called Mahloof back because the MP had said he would pay Adeeb back.
“I don’t have to pay you, I would only have to pay back if I’d taken money from you. I don’t have to pay back campaign money. Why are you speaking so much of me, my wife, of stabbings and drugs? We don’t have to go to that level,” Mahloof said.
“I don’t talk. I’m not one to talk, if I wanted to do something, I act,” Adeeb replied.
When Mahloof maintained he did not owe any money, Adeeb says: “Yeah OK, hold on then. Let’s see if you dare to remain that way.”
Adeeb has called the recording fake and said it indicated the Galholu South MP was getting “desperate.”
@AhmedMahloof A fake phone call edit proves that your incoming Reloads are ever increasing or decreasing & desperate. Good luck with Reloads — Ahmed Adeeb (@Ahmed_Adeeb) March 16, 2015
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has meanwhile condemned the attempted break in at Mahloof’s house, and accused Speaker Abdulla Maseeh and the government of negligence in affording parliamentarians security.
The MDP noted threats against opposition MPs had caused the Inter-Parliamentary Union to classify the Maldives as one of the most dangerous countries to be an MP.
At today’s People’s Majilis sitting, Mahloof went up to Speaker Abdulla Maseeh’s desk and demanded that he be provided protection before he was “murdered.”
Alhugandu maraalumuge kurin security foarukohdhevvaa pic.twitter.com/1B2wIOQISl
— Ahmed Mahloof (@AhmedMahloof) March 16, 2015
He also tweeted last night saying telecom provider Dhiraagu had called him to inform him that an individual pretending to be Mahloof had requested his mobile number be disconnected. The caller had told Dhiraagu Mahloof’s mobile phone had been lost.
Mahloof was recently expelled from the PPM for allegedly defaming President Abdulla Yameen.
PPM accused Mahloof of making statements that could undermine public confidence in President Yameen as well as misleading the public regarding the arrest of former Defense Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim.
Speaking to Minivan News at the time, Mahloof said: “I was removed from the party just like how the Auditor General and Supreme Court Justices were removed. In haste, without due process.”
Last week, Home Minister Umar Naseer alleged that a man armed with a knife and a hammer broke into his apartment building.
“A person broke the window and entered the adjacent apartment with a knife. He escaped when a woman screamed. Left a knife and a hammer,” read a tweet from the home minister the following morning.
The break-in came amidst shocking allegations of rifts within President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet. Dismissed Defence Minister Nazim last week accused Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb of using rogue police officers to plant a pistol and three bullets in his apartment.
Nazim is currently in police custody standing trial for smuggling illegal weapons.
Nazim’s lawyers told the Criminal Court Adeeb threatened to “destroy” Nazim during a conference call with Naseer. The home minister had informed President Yameen of the threat at the time, he claimed.
Adeeb told Minivan News he was “shocked” by Nazim’s lawyer’s “lies.”
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Adheeb and Mahloof are both victims of the Gayoom Mafia.
One is a brain washed dolt claiming knowledge of details to crimes such as murders and forced disappearances with scant realization to legal implications of having withheld such information.
The other seems to be swimming in cash, no doubt unaware that he is merely insulating his bosses from criminals and dirty money. He provides plausible deniability to his bosses should the shit hit the fan.