The state has filed an appeal with the High Court against the acquittal of the individuals accused in the murder of a Bangladeshi man in Laamu atoll Fonadhoo.
Mohamed Hassanullah was killed in March 2017 after he was lured away to a remote area of the island. He was stabbed to death with a knife to the neck. The state had pressed charges against eight Bangladeshi nationals in the case. However, the Criminal Court did not find any of them guilty.
The state filed appeals against six of the eight individuals acquitted by the court. The High Court is yet to take a decision on admitting the cases.
The trial court acquitted them on the basis that, despite the fact that two of them had pled guilty during the investigation, the claim that they were tortured was not adequately investigated, raising concerns about the statements they gave to the investigators.
Due to being disabled, the witness to the murder was also not examined. The Criminal Court further stated that there was no additional evidence to support his statement and that important areas of the investigation were overlooked.