Sergeant Adam Haleem's murder: Court Reaffirms Death Sentence for Samaah Following Retrial
The Criminal Court has once again sentenced Mohamed Samaah to death for the 2012 fatal stabbing of Sergeant Adam Haleem, who was killed while attempting to intercept Samaah for a court order violation. Following a retrial ordered by the Supreme Court, the verdict was reaffirmed after all of the victim's heirs requested the death penalty (Qisas). Sergeant Adam Haleem, who was killed in the line of duty, is honored annually on Police Memorial Day.
Mohamed Samaah, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Police Sergeant Adam Haleem in Kaashidhoo, during a session of the trial proceedings. | RaajjeMV | RaajjeMV
The Criminal Court on Thursday found Mohamed Samaah guilty of the murder of Sergeant Adam Haleem, who was stationed at the K. Kaashidhoo Police Station, and sentenced him to death.
This marks the second time Samah has been sentenced to death in this case.
The case stems from an incident on the night of July 23, 2012, when Sergeant Adam Haleem encountered Samaah while on his way to report for duty. At the time, Samaah was under court-ordered house arrest but had violated the order by being out in public. When Sergeant Haleem attempted to intercept him and take him to the police station, Samaah launched a fatal attack with a sharp object, killing the officer.
The Criminal Court had previously sentenced Samah to death in this case. However, in 2024—twelve years after the initial verdict—the Supreme Court overturned the sentence and ordered a retrial. The Supreme Court’s decision was based on the principle that even if a defendant confesses, the court must ensure beyond a reasonable doubt that the confession was made voluntarily and without any form of coercion.
Former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood noted at the time that while Samaah had confessed to the assault, he maintained that he did not act with the specific intent to kill. Consequently, the Supreme Court ordered further clarification on these matters, citing the precedents and principles established by the Prophet Muhammad regarding the application of Hudud punishments.
Following a Supreme Court order to retry the case, the Criminal Court ruled on October 29 that Samaah was guilty of the charges. A hearing was subsequently held on Thursday to record the statements of Adam Haleem’s heirs. During the proceedings, all of the legal heirs stated that they wish to seek Qisas (retaliatory punishment) against Samaah.
Taking the heirs' statements into account, the Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Samaah to death for the second time.
This incident remains one of the most tragic events in the history of the Maldives Police Service. Consequently, "Police Memorial Day," observed annually on July 23rd, was established in honor of the memory of Sergeant Adam Haleem.
