Supreme Court reschedules Anas murder case hearing

The appeal hearing inside Supreme Court of those who murdered Mohamed Anas did not go forth today and was cut short.

Mohamed Anas was brutally attacked and murdered inside Litus Service Center back in 2017 by a gang of 7 people. The state had charged Lh.Kurendhoo Asurumaage Ahmed Zayan, M.Lonumidhilige Afrah Abdulrazzaq and M.Dhimishuge Usmaan Shareef with intentional homicide.

Four others including Junaih Abdulla from Laamu gan, Thundi, Nannaarige, Simah Moosa, Male' registry no. 1746, Hassan Mahfooz from Addu City Feydhoo, Westonvilla, and Mohamed Shaaz from Thaa Kinbidhoo , Gulfaamaage were charged with taking an active role in the homicide.

Seven years after Anas's murder, the Criminal court ruled that the charges against these individuals were not proven. The state appealed the case to the High Court and also requested that the seven individuals be detained until the trial concluded. However, the High Court previously ruled that there were no grounds to detain these individuals until the trial's completion. Therefore, the state took the case to Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court then ruled that the High Court's decision not to detain these individuals was based on reasons outside the law. Consequently the Supreme Court directed High Court to reconsider the matter.

However, last month the High Court again ruled for the second time that there were no grounds to detain these individuals until the trial concluded. The High Court's decision stated that the state had not presented sufficient evidence to suggest that these individuals had committed the alleged crime.

Therefore, the state once again appealed the High Court's decision to the Supreme Court. During the first hearing held last week at the Supreme Court, the state requested that the High Court's decision be overturned and that these individuals be declared as being in a situation that requires detention.

At the hearing the defendants did not respond. Two individuals stated that they have nothing to comment. And three other individuals requested more time to procure lawyers while the remaining one requested more time to review the documents. Therefore, it was requested to schedule another hearing for the defendants to respond, and that hearing was concluded.

When an additional hearing was held today, a lawyer was appointed for Usman yesterday. He stated that he could not respond today as he had no received the case documents. However, Judge Aisha Shujoon, who was presiding over the case, stated that an opportunity to appoint a lawyer will be given until the 10th of this month, and that a new hearing would be scheduled within a week.

Usman stated that his difficulties in securing a lawyer is due to financial difficulties. The judge considered this and gave him extra time. While Mahfooz had appointed a lawyer, a letter was sent today saying that the lawyer was not in Male'. However, the judge stated that this was not done according to proper procedure.

The judge stated that the legal deadline for concluding the case had already passed and therefore the defendants will be given one final opportunity to respond. A hearing was scheduled for tomorrow for this purpose.

The judge also stated that no further space for excuses would be given during that hearing.