Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office has confirmed that the state will appeal the Criminal Court’s verdict to acquit two suspects charged with terrorism, over the abduction of missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan.
PG Office confirmed that the verdict will be appealed and further stated that a request has been submitted to obtain the case report from the Criminal Court.
Ahmed Rilwan has been missing since August 8, 2014. The state had accused Aalif Rauf of capital Male and Mohamed Nooradheen of Gaafu Dhaal's Vaadhoo, of kidnapping the journalist and charged them with terrorism.
However, both the suspects were acquitted after the Criminal Court's verdict on Thursday morning. The court had also noted that several parts of the investigation were not completed before the trial commenced.
Had the court found the defendants guilty of kidnapping Rilwan, Aalif and Nooradheen would have faced 10 - 15 years of imprisonment.
The state had also levied charges against Mohamed Suaid of Addu Atoll's Hulhudhoo over Rilwan's abduction. However the Criminal Court had rejected his case as Suaid was not in Maldives. While his family had informed the court that Suaid had passed away while abroad, the prosecution maintains that his death was never proven.
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