A young man from Viligili island, Gaaf Alif atoll [northern Huvadhu], has hanged himself on Iguraidhoo island, Raa atoll, where he was in exile.

Ahmed Wafir, from 'Bluebird' house Viligili hanged himself with a rope attached to a large 'nika' tree in the woods of Iguraidhoo, according to Raa atoll chief, Saud Ibrahim.

'Wafir, aged 31, was being investigated for an alleged theft of carpentry tools from a house in Iguraidhoo on the 7th of March,' says the atoll chief.

He was staying in 'Cool' house on the island which is the island chief's house.

When the investigation took place the island chief apparently told him what would happen to someone who commits offences while staying in his house.

Actually, the island chief said it was because the chief and his family loved and cared for Wafir.

Wafir had stayed in the house on two occasions for a total of four years.

'The island chief and his wife cared for him like their own child,' says the atoll chief. 'I have a strong feeling that Wafir became deeply ashamed about the stealing incident, and that was what made him commit suicide.'

Saud Ibrahim says that Wafir was alone when he hung himself, and evidence of suicide has been discovered.

'He left a written letter with about Rf 5,300 [$US 450] enclosed as well. In the letter he asks that the island chief not reveal anything about the theft to anyone on the island, and the money be given to his child, and to let his [Viligili] family know on the day of his wake,' says the atoll chief. 'I still have the letter. There is no doubt it is written by him.'

Wafir bathed thoroughly and perfumed himself before his death. And another witness speaking from the island phone booth says that people saw Wafir walking along after his bath and asked him where he was going. He told them he was off on a journey.

He was asked why he was leaving on his own, and he replied, 'People can go on a trip alone, can't they?'

He was looking very fresh, says the witness, and smelt of perfume too.

Wafir's body was discovered by two people, one aged 20, the other older.

'When they saw the body they ran screaming. Then a lot of people went there, and someone filmed the scene on video,' says the atoll chief.

Wafir had been doing masonry work on the island.

'There are many rumours at the moment about the motives for Wafir's suicide,' says the atoll chief, who insists that the stories are utterly untrue.

'Some people say that a group of people hanged him because of an affair with a young woman, but he doesn't have any enemies on the island. Actually he was a very well-mannered person. His only problem was petty theft. He wasn't in the habit of getting involved with women. Over the four years nothing like that has happened.'

The matter is now being investigated by the Defence Ministry and the atoll office.

The magistrate's court at Viligili said today that Wafir was exiled to Iguraidhoo for four years after being found guilty of stealing a wheel-barrow.

He was exiled again a short time after returning to Viligili from a previous sentence.

'He had only a short period left to complete his current sentence,' says the court

Wafir has left a wife and child in Viligili.

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