Court to hear evidence against Ameen Faisal

Criminal Court is to hear evidence against former Defense Minister, Ameen Faisal, over the terrorism charges against him for having ordered President Abdulla Yameen’s detention in 2010.

The hearings have been scheduled for 1pm on Sunday, with the prosecution’s witnesses giving their statements first.

The last hearing of the case was held on May 21st, where the Court had heard the statements given by the witnesses.

In the hearing, prosecution had presented an anonymous witness who would offer testimony claiming that then President Mohamed Nasheed had explicitly said that Yameen would not be released from state custody.

The prosecution had also presented Ahmed Nazim, an individual close to the President at the time, who would reportedly state that officers ordered to bring Yameen into custody had said they would ‘break down the door’ if he does not allow them access to the premises.

Further evidence against Faisal include a report on the operation that led to alleged detention, a letter from the Prosecutor General asking that Yameen be released, and transcripts of a press conference Nasheed had given at the time.

The defence called President Abdulla Yameen in order to have him testify to the circumstances of the allegations and to affirm the facts of the case. He had also called former military chief Moosa Ali Jaleel and its head of legal affairs Ali Zabair.