Maalhos islanders allege councillors involved in robbery of safe with Rf100,000 in cash

Islanders of Maalhos in Alif Alif Atoll have alleged that the island’s councillors took Rf100,000 (US$6,485) from the office safe last week.

“It could not have happened without the knowledge of the councilors, almost all the islanders believe that one cannot just go past security and reach the safe so easily and steal it,” an islander told Minivan News today on the condition of anonymity.

“The culprits have sawed the steel rods placed behind the window and entered council office.”

He alleged that it was “obvious” that the councilors were behind the robbery.

“That’s how everyone tells it when they speak of the incident,” he said, adding that police were yet to determine who was involved.

“A police team arrived on this island the very next day but they could not figure out who it was and they left, no arrests were made,” he said.

A police media official told Minivan News that the incident was reported to police on Wednesday afternoon last week.

“A police team was sent to the island for investigation, so far no one has been arrested in connection with the case,” he confirmed.

Maalhos Councillors Ahmed Rashid however dismissed the islanders’ speculation.

“I can’t believe that any councillors would have done it,” he said, adding that three out of the five councillors were not in the island at the time of the robbery.

However, he added, there “might be fingerprints” of the councillors on both the safe and the cash in it as they had “counted the money the night before and gave it to an administrative staff.”

Rashid noted that “a number of visitors” were also in the island on the night of the robbery.

He explained that the Rf100,000 in cash was raised from the sale of coconuts and rent collected from plots leased out in the island.

The money was to be used to manage the island’s powerhouse, he said.

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