Rifkhan Bathiudeen's lawyers write to PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks

Attorneys  representing  Rifkhan  Bathiudeen have  written  to  the  Presidential  Commission  of  Inquiry probing  the  Easter  Sunday  attacks  to  allow  his  client  to  record  a  statement  regarding  the  allegations levelled against him on mainstream media and news websites.

During a morning breakfast show which aired on Tuesday (23) on a popular TV channel, it was revealed that  one  of  the  brothers  of  former  minister  Rishad  Bathiudeen  named  Rifkhan  Bathiudeen  who  is presently under the detention of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had assisted Zahran Hashim, ring leader of the Easter Sunday attacks, to flee from the island by a boat to India in 2018.

However, Rifkhan Bathiudeen had written to the Commission on the same day categorically denying the allegations made by a former intelligence officer stating that it was his younger brother Riyaj Bathiudeen who was under the detention of the CID, according to a statement issued by the office of former Minister Rishad  Bathiudeen.

He further asserted that he had never metZahran Hashim, not even once. Attorney-at-law Shaha Shums while vehemently denying the grave accusations levelled against his client, also noted in his letter to the Commission that the so called 'revelation' that was made to the Commission which was subsequently reported in a cavalier and flamboyant fashion in print and electronic media has caused grave and irreparable damage to his client.

Under these circumstances, attorney-at-law Shums stated that the Commission should find it mandatory to record a statement from Rifkhan Bathiudeen to find out the truth and allow Rifkhan to respond to these false accusations.

Drawing the Commission's attention to Section 7(1) (a), (b) and (c) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 17 of 1948, Shums stated that the Commission is "under obligation to inter alia procure and receive all evidence under oath."