Man Weeps as Court Exonerates Him on Final Day of Prison Sentence
29 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ބުރާސްފަތި 08:11The High Court has overturned a Criminal Court ruling that sentenced a Sri Lankan national to one year in prison for gold smuggling, declaring the original conviction invalid. The decision followed the defense's argument that the chain of custody for the evidence was incomplete, and notably, the High Court's ruling was delivered on the very day the individual completed serving his full prison sentence.
He was declared innocent on the very day he completed his prison sentence; the moment the verdict was delivered, he broke down in tears. | Raajje MV
The High Court has overturned a lower court's conviction of Sri Lankan national Mohamed Mohamed Sulaiman, ruling that the Criminal Court's verdict finding him guilty of smuggling gold into the Maldives was legally flawed.
The state has charged the individual with smuggling goods into the Maldives. Following a conviction on these charges, the Criminal Court sentenced him last October to one year in prison and ordered the seizure of the smuggled goods by Customs.
The Criminal Court's ruling has been appealed to the High Court, with the defendant seeking the return of the seized gold and his immediate release.
The High Court overturned his conviction on Wednesday, October 28. The ruling coincided with the one-year anniversary of his original sentencing to a one-year prison term.
On the very day he completed serving his prison sentence, the High Court overturned his conviction. During the hearing, the court ruled that the original verdict finding him guilty was flawed and subsequently vacated the sentence.
He wept in the courtroom as the judges delivered their verdict.
The smuggling attempt was uncovered when Customs officers intercepted the individual at Velana International Airport. After scanning his luggage, officers stopped and questioned him as he was attempting to exit the terminal, leading to a search that revealed the concealed gold.
Upon inspecting his luggage, authorities discovered documentation indicating that he had purchased and declared gold in Dubai. Following this discovery, a body scan was conducted, which confirmed the presence of the gold. A further physical search revealed 2,252 grams of gold concealed within his jeans pockets and undergarments.
In his appeal, Sulaiman contends that the chain of custody in this case was not properly maintained. He further asserts that the legal elements required to prove the offense have not been established.
The High Court bench presiding over this case consists of Judge Mohamed Shaneez Abdulla, Judge Huzaifa Mohamed, and Judge Hussain Mazeed.
