Trials of Ali Shaahil, in connection with the gruesome murder of Shiaau Mohamed Saeed has been scheduled to start as closed hearings.

The first closed hearing of the case is scheduled for Sunday, at the Criminal Court.

Shiaau, a young woman aged 22, and native ަto Fuvahmulah City, was brutally slain inside an apartment in Sheereen Villa, an apartment building located in Henveiru district of the congested capital Malé City, in the early hours of August 7. 

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed five charges against Ali Shaahil in connection with the gruesome murder. Charges raised against him include first degree murder charges, charges for handling pornographic materials and being in possession of cannabis.

The Criminal Court did not disclose the remaining two charges raised against him as the state has decided not to disclose details of these two charges.

In a press conference held to update the public regarding the gruesome murder that shook the nation, Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Basheer revealed that the provisional autopsy report indicates that Shiaau succumbed to the attacks on her body.

Reports go on to indicate that her body attained serious injuries, even after she succumbed to the torture.

MPS earlier revealed that they have enough evidence to prove the murder charges against Shaahil in connection with the gruesome murder.

According to police, Shaahil is not cooperating in the investigation and that although he remains unwilling to speak regarding the case directly, authorities currently have enough evidence to prove that Shaahil is Shiaau’s murderer.

Police has also uncovered the details of how Shiaau was murdered.

The police institution has assured the public that they are probing the murder of Shiaau with a “very extensive perspective” to cover a wide range of areas.

As such, authorities are to have acquired rumors linking the case to “cult” practice, as well as acts of religions other than Islam. Authorities are yet to confirm whether this is the real motive behind the murder, or not.

Findings also indicate that Shaahil is yet to confess to the crime and that Shaahil does not have a history of mental illness.

Police have also found that the murder was not a planned one and that Shaahil acted alone.

In an earlier presser, Head of the Police Crime Investigation Department, Superintendent of Police Hassan Shifaau revealed that officers had confiscated the murder weapon at the scene of the crime.

The police institution initially received reports of the homicide from a member of the public, at around 11:28pm on August 6.

A team of officers had arrived at the scene in less than five minutes.

Shifaau went on to reveal that Shiaau had never reported of being a victim of domestic violence, in the past.

Shaahil who was arrested in connection with the gruesome manslaughter, was found to be intoxicated at the time of his arrest from the scene of the crime, where no one else was present. Shaahil was escorted to the police vehicle in a hazmat suit, as his body was reported to be covered in blood. Officers confirmed that the murder took place inside Shaahil’s apartment.

Temporary tests confirmed that Shaahil was in fact under the influence of narcotics. Police did not reveal which narcotics Shaahil had tested positive to.

Due to the severity of the crime and following requests by the victim’s family, police continue to refrain from disclosing further details of the extent of injuries to Shiaau’s body.

At a time video clips circulating on social media had shown that Shiaau’s body was initially transported to the mortuary inside two different body bags, presumably filled with her dismembered body parts, her murder has been dubbed the most gruesome in Maldives’ recent history.