Anas’ murder trial: hearing cancelled as a defendant heads abroad on medical leave

Monday’s hearing in Mohamed Anas’ murder trial was cancelled as one of the defendants is out of the country on medical leave.

While the Criminal Court confirmed that one of the defendants was abroad on medical leave following doctor’s instructions, it did not disclose when he was given approval to travel or when hearings can resume.

RaajjeMV understands that Mohamed Junaih, one of the seven charged over Anas’ murder, is the defendant in question.

The last hearing in the trial was held on December 3, where Moosa Silveen, one of the state’s non-anonymous witnesses took the stand.

Silveen, a forensic officer at Maldives Police Service, prepared the case’s scene of crime report.

He testified there was a lot of blood at Litus Service Center where the gruesome attack took place, when he arrived at scene. Further noting that they noticed a pair of sandals, a key as well as a silver chain smeared with blood at the scene of the crime.

While the defence also posed questions for Silveen, including how he entered the garage as well as whether the scene of crime had been preserved, officer Silveen responded that despite officers being active there, that they had not placed any blockades.

Noting that officers recovered material evidence from the crime scene, Silveen further said these were sent for fingerprint and DNA identification.

While the key mentioned as evidence in the report was not discovered by a crime of scene officer, which the defence noted at the hearing, the officer said that it was recovered by an investigative officer.

Silveen is the last non-anonymous witness to take the stand in the trial; there were three prior to him.

Recently the Juvenile Court acquitted the minor charged over Anas’ murder.

The 25-year-old Mohamed Anas was stabbed to death by a group of masked assailants on 31 July 2017. CCTV footage shows him running into Litus Service Center the Henveiru ward of the capital city, in an attempt to flee his attackers; the brutal attack took place inside the garage and is caught on video as well.