The Prosecutor General's (PG) Office has charged the suspects arrested in connection with the robbery of a cash briefcase from bank staff at the Velana International Airport (VIA).

Three people were charged with robbery, threatening with a sharp weapon and possession of a sharp weapon in a public place. They are Ahmed Mahid, Ali Afzal and Abdul Awwal Ibrahim Aboobakuru.

In addition, five people were charged with participating in the robbery. They are Hussain Shahudhu, Mazin Moosa, Ahmed Raihan Naeem, brahim Anoof and Ismail Siruhan.

The briefcase had more than USD 100,000. Bank of Maldives (BML) staff were carrying it without police security inside VIA. The robbers fled the airport on a speedboat.