One imprisoned, two acquitted in major drug case

One individual has been sentenced to life in prison for smuggling diamorphine, while the other two accused were acquitted.

Ali Zubair, hailing from Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Hoadehdhoo, was sentenced to life in prison. He was also fined MVR 100,000.

Zubair is also accused in other drug cases, with another case against him still pending in the High Court.

The acquitted individuals in the case are Ahmed Sunain and Ahmed Mujahidh, both also from the same island. Sunain's case is also pending at the High Court after being acquitted from another drug case.

In 2021, drugs were recovered from a taxi that was stopped during a police operation. A box containing drugs was found in the taxi's boot, in which Sunain and Zubair were travelling. Later, during a search, the police recovered drugs from Zubair's residence and motorbike.

Drugs were also recovered from a car driven by Mujahidh during a search operation in Hulhumale'. The car also contained Mujahidh's personal belongings. CCTV footage shows Zubair and Sunaih handling the box found in the boot of the vehicle. Zubair's fingerprints were also discovered on the box.

The prosecution presented a substantial amount of evidence to support their case, including fifty-six pieces of evidence comprising both documentary and physical evidence, throughout the trial.

In his ruling, Criminal Court Justice Ibrahim Ihusan emphasized that the witness testimonies and the presented evidence conclusively demonstrated that the drugs discovered were in Zubair's possession, and he was fully aware of their location and existence.

The court concluded that Sunaih was unlikely to have been aware of the recovered drugs, as the prosecution failed to submit any evidence to prove his involvement. Furthermore, the court stated that there was no supporting evidence indicating Sunaih's involvement in the drug-related activities.

The court noted that during the search of Mujahidh's residence, no items related to the car were discovered. Additionally, the police had to use force to open the car during the search. Furthermore, Mujahidh's fingerprints and DNA were not found on the boxes and bags containing drugs recovered from the vehicle, according to the court's findings.

The court said that the prosecution did not produce any evidence indicating Mujahidh's involvement with the drugs. Consequently, the court did not find him legally responsible for the items in question.