Supreme Court to start case on death sentence against Shahum

After two years since it was submitted, Supreme Court has scheduled to begin the case on High Court's issuance of a death sentence against Ibrahim Shahum Adam.

Shahum was convicted in 2012 of murder in a case involving causing the death of a man in Male' with the use of a sharp object.

The State submitted a case to Supreme Court in 2022 seeking for the apex court to reaffirm High Court's death sentence against Shahum. The State submits such cases in incidences where the defendant does not appeal the verdict.

The first hearing in the case has now been scheduled for 10:00 hrs on November 4.

The case will be heard by Judge Dr Mohamed Ibrahim, Judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir, Judge Aisha Shujune Mohamed, Judge HusnuSuood and Judge Ali Rasheed Hussain.

Shahum was charged with the murder based in large part on a statement by Ahsan Basheer, Varudheege, Seenu atoll Hithadhoo, while he was facing impeding death following being attacked with a sharp object on the corner of Majeedhee Magu and Alikilegefaanu Magu in 2011. This is the first case in which a dying declaration was accepted as evidence in a court in Maldives.

In addition to Shahum, Hassan Shimaaz Mohamed Suwadh, of Ma. Venus Thari was also sentenced to 15 years in prison in this case. He was charged with aiding and abetting in the murder.

When Shahum was sentenced to death, he was already serving a life sentence in another murder case. This involves a terrorism conviction concerning the murder with a sharp object of an individual near the Maafannu Youth Centre in 2010.

Shahum had been in custody following the 2010 murder when the Criminal Court at the time had released him. They stated that they had released Shahum in order to hold the Health Ministry accountable as they had failed to submit a document.

While on release, Shahum had attacked Ahsan. He then went into hiding, and was later arrested from an uninhabited island.