Defendant acquitted in case involving threats to "butcher" police witnesses
28 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | ހުކުރު 10:16The Criminal Court has acquitted Abdul Samad of charges related to threatening police officers, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove he intended to cause physical harm. The court concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish criminal intent behind his statements, leading to his exoneration in the case.
Abdul Samad gives an interview to Channel 13. | Facebook
The Criminal Court has acquitted a Progressive Coalition supporter accused of threatening to "chop people up" during an interview with Channel 13, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove the charges.
The charges in this case were filed against Abdul Samad, a resident of G. Ranhiri. At the time of the incident, he was an activist for the PPM/PNC coalition.
This case pertains to an incident that occurred in 2021. At the time, police stated that the individual was arrested under a court order on allegations of threatening and intimidating witnesses in a police investigation during a televised interview.
In an interview with Channel 13, Samad stated that he was imprisoned based on false testimony. He further claimed to know the specific police officers who provided the statements against him.
Samad further stated that the next administration would be formed by the PPM/PNC coalition, and under that government, those who provided false testimony would be sent behind bars. He also issued a warning, stating that they would be "carved up individually."
He was charged with criminal intimidation in connection with this case. However, the Criminal Court has ruled that the charges were not proven.
The court noted that Samad’s threats to "dismember" police officers were conditional upon a specific outcome. Specifically, the court highlighted that these threats were predicated on the condition of his political party coming to power in 2023.
The court stated it was inclined to believe that his remarks during the interview were not intended to incite violence or cause physical harm to police officers.
The court noted that prior to Samad’s remark about "chopping up" police officers, he had stated that he was aware of officers who commit fraud and provide false testimony, and that their actions would eventually catch up with them. Consequently, the court concluded that his statement was likely not intended as a threat to shed the blood of or inflict physical harm upon police officers.
Consequently, the Criminal Court ruled that the charges could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
