A hearing in the murder trial of a 13-year-old in June 2021, has been held at the Criminal Court.
Monday’s hearing revolved around reviewing the remand of the suspects and the request for an order to protect the evidence specified by the state. The request was granted by the court during the hearing.
The Criminal Court upheld its decision on the remand of the two suspects linked to the abduction and murder of a 13-year-old boy back in June, earlier. On Monday the court upheld its decision to remand Zihan. He has been remanded pending the outcome of the trial
Charged in connection to the case are Ibrahim Zihan, 27 and native to Landhoo island in Noonu atoll, and a 17-year-old boy.
The court in August 2021 ruled to close the murder trial to the public.
The 17-year-old is in house arrest, as the Criminal Court ruled to keep him in home confinement citing the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) having revealed that juvenile prisons are not in the best condition currently.
Zihan faces 13 counts of charges which, if proven against him carry a sentence of up to 100 years in prison, according to the Prosecutor General, Hussain Shameem.
PG Shameem earlier revealed that the authorities have enough evidence to prove the charges against Zihan.
The multiple charges in addition to murder, pressed against Zihan are:
- Deliberate murder
- Drugging a minor to make sexual attempts
- Grooming
- Abuse of a human corpse
- Confining a person unlawfully
- Using a minor for crimes
- Sexual contact with a minor
- More charges of sexual abuse against minors
The charges raised against the 17-year-old are deliberate homicide, illegal confinement of a person and abusing a human corpse.
Maldives was shaken after the abduction and consecutive murder of a 13-year-old boy made the headlines on 22 June 2021.
The body of the boy, 13 and native to Madaveli island in Gaaf Dhaal atoll, was found stuffed inside a suitcase in the lagoon northeast of Hulhumalé Phase II, a region into which entry is unauthorized. Police pulled the suitcase out of the water in the late hours of 21 June 2021.
Speaking to press the very next day, Serious and Organized Crime Head, Chief Inspector of Police Abdulla Rasheed revealed that Hulhumalé police was informed of a wounded boy in the restricted area of Hulhumalé Phase II on June 21 after initially receiving the abduction report on June 20, following which officers began searching the region. He also revealed that the police institution had made great progress into the investigation.
Deputy Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services Fathmath Yumna had also revealed that the child had been receiving social support from the Ministry’s Child and Family Protection Services.
