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Maldives commences trials of man murdered in Sri Lanka

Fathmath Shaahunaz
11 January 2017, MVT 13:49
Hussain “Rabarey” Razeen, who was found killed in a ditch in neighbouring Sri Lanka in November 2015. PHOTO/DAILY MIRROR
Fathmath Shaahunaz
11 January 2017, MVT 13:49

The Criminal Court on Monday commenced trials of the murder of Hussain “Rabarey” Razeen, who was found killed in neighbouring Sri Lanka in November 2015.

The prosecution is charging Ibrahim Abdul Razzaq of Raa atoll Kandholhudhoo island of being an accomplice in first degree murder and concealing the crime. He is accused of paying Razeen’s killer, who said to be a local named Bilal Mohamed, to carry out the murder.

Razeen’s body was found in a ditch in Sri Lanka with evidence of having been assaulted with a sharp weapon.

The state declared during the first hearing of the Criminal Court that Abdul Razzaq had paid Razeen’s killer on two counts for the crime. According to the prosecution, he had first met with Bilal and paid money prior to the crime. Later he had wired money to Bilal again after the latter sent a photograph of Razeen’s body, laid inside a van Bilal had used, to Abdul Razzaq as proof that the job had been completed.

However, the prosecution did not disclose the total amount of money paid.

After the charges were read, Abdul Razzaq responded that he understood the charges and demanded a lawyer for which the court has granted a period of 15 days.

The state also requested the Criminal Court to change Abdul Razzaq, currently under house arrest, to police custody until the end of his trials. Judge Ahmed Shakeel presiding over the case had ruled that Abdul Razzaq remain under house arrest for now and that another decision will be discussed in the next hearing.

The suspected killer Bilal Mohamed had been arrested in Sri Lanka after Razeen’s body was discovered. However, it remains unclear whether he was brought back to the Maldives. A local team had also joined Sri Lankan police to investigate the case.

Sri Lankan police at the time had said that Razeen was killed for a price of 140 million Sri Lankan Rupees. They added that the crime had been orchestrated by a Maldivian businessman and that it was an act of vengeance over the murder of the businessman’s younger sibling.

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