Gayoom provides information to CNI

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has last night provided information to theCommission of National Inquiry which was established to make an independent and impartial investigation into developments in the Maldives from 14 January 2012 to 8 February 2012.

The former President Gayoom met with the commission at 22:00 last evening. This is the first time Gayoom provided information to the commission of national inquiry.

After the meeting, Gayoom told reporters that he highlighted two points that he is very unhappy about regarding the investigation process of the commission. He said that he informed the commission that it is incumbent that the commission should include a member from his side when the commission has a member representing the former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Gayoom said that he believes that the investigation cannot be impartial with a representative of Nasheed in the commission.

Gayoom said that the commission members asked him three questions. He said that they asked whether he financially assisted any person on February 7 and whether he told to arrest Nasheed when Nasheed went inside the military head quarters. He said that the commission also asked whether he met President Dr. Mohamed Waheed in Sonevafushi prior to the transfer of power.

He said that he has not assisted anyone financially on that day and has not called anyone when Nasheed went inside the military headquarters on February 7. He also said that he did not know what really was happening in the Maldives that day because he was in Malaysia. He said that he did not even call any members of the PPM on February 7.

Gayoom said that he has not personally met President Dr. Mohamed Waheed during the president’s tenure as the Vice President and they did not meet at Sonevafushi.

Meanwhile, President Dr. Mohamed Waheed has provided information to the commission twice while former President Mohamed Nasheed, who accuse Gayoom of being the mastermind behind the “coup” which removed him from power, has also provided information to the commission.