Criminal Court frees murder suspect due to lack of evidence

The Criminal Court has released Ahmed Niyaz, 28 of Gan in Laamu Atoll, a murder suspect arrested in connection with the death of 51 year-old man in Gan in Laamu Atoll, citing lack of evidence.

Criminal Court Media Official Ahmed Mohamed Manik today told Minivan News that the court released him because it’s been nine months since he was arrested and the police were unable to collect enough evidence to charge him.

‘’The court repeatedly asked the police to decide on charging him with the case and to try and collect more evidence to charge him,’’ Manik said.

Manik said that the court released him on 26 December.

On March 13, Mohamed Hassan, 51, died in the ICU of Indira Gandi memorial Hospital (IGMH) with injuries to the right side of his head which caused serious injuries to his skull.

His condition was critical and doctors did not allow him to be transferred abroad for further treatment.

The Laamu Gan Regional Hospital Manager told local media at the time that that the victim’s nose and ears were bleeding continuously when he was admitted to hospital

Sources from the island told Minivan News that the victim was having an affair with a woman living in the house he was sleeping in.

The source said one of the woman’s sons was arrested in connection with the case.

In 2010, the Criminal Court released Ibrahim Shahum Adam, who had been arrested in connection with a murder case, citing lack of cooperation from the government before the same man was arrested six months later in connection with another murder case.