Taxi driver's murder: suspect charged with first degree murder

Adham Mohamed, 21, has been charged with first degree murder, in relation to the death of 59-year old Gasim Hassan.

He was arrested on December 19, and had confessed to the murder during interrogation.

While his case has been forwarded to the Criminal Court, the PG Office said that Adham was charged under Act on Prohibiting ‎Threatening and Possession of Dangerous Weapons and Sharp ‎Objects.

Gasim was stabbed to death on 4th December 2019, and was found lying face-down in a puddle of blood on the road.

Despite confessing to killing the taxi driver, Adham claimed that he never intended to do so but “only to rob him.”

According to the police, Adham has a long criminal history including theft.

The suspect is to have made multiple mugging attempts prior to meeting Gasim at the taxi queue at Velana International Airport- where he is to have gone to try his hand at mugging after failing in the capital’s suburban district.

Investigators said that the culprit had targeted older men at the taxi queue, so as to assert power over them.

However, Gasim struggled after Adham grabbed him from behind and held the knife to his throat as they reached the destination which is located in one of the darker roads. Police said that Gasim began screaming at this point, and that Adham had stabbed him “once” in the neck.

Police also confirmed that Gasim was stabbed once, and that he had defence wounds on his hands where he grabbed the knife by the blade in order to escape.