The State has today appealed to the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence passed in 2012 on Ibrahim Shahum Adam for the murder of Ahusan Basheer.
The State has today appealed to the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence passed in 2012 on Ibrahim Shahum Adam for the murder of Ahusan Basheer.
Shahum, G. Cozy, was convicted of murder in a case involving causing the death of Ahusan, Varudheege, Seenu Hithadhoo, in Male' with the use of a sharp object.
Shahum was sentenced with the murder based in large part on a statement by Ahsan Basheer, Varudheege, Seenu atoll Hithadhoo, while he was facing impeding death following being attacked with a sharp object on the corner of Majeedhee Magu and Alikilegefaanu Magu in 2011. This is the first case in which a dying declaration was accepted as evidence in a court in Maldives.
As Shahum did not appeal this sentence, the State submitted a case to the Supreme Court asking to reaffirm the sentence.
In today's hearing, the State said that sufficient evidence has been submitted against Shahum to prove his guilt, and all the factors of intentional taking of a life is present in the case. Hence, they asked the Supreme Court to uphold the High Court sentence against Shahum.
The bench of Judges said that Shahum will be presenting his defence statement at the next hearing.
The bench of judges hearing the case include Judge Dr Mohamed Ibrahim, Judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir, Judge Aisha Shujune Mohamed, Judge HusnuSuood and Judge Ali Rasheed Hussain, with Judge Ibrahim presiding.
When Shahum was sentenced to death, he was already serving a life sentence in another murder case. This involves a terrorism conviction concerning the murder with a sharp object of an individual near the Maafannu Youth Centre in 2010.
Shahum had been in custody following the 2010 murder when the Criminal Court at the time had released him. They stated that they had released Shahum in order to hold the Health Ministry accountable as they had failed to submit a document.
While on release, Shahum had attacked Ahsan. He then went into hiding, and was later arrested from an uninhabited island.