The Juvenile Court extended the detention by 15 days of three minors charged with the murder of 20 year-old Abdul Muheeth, as one of the minor had not appointed a lawyer to respond to the murder charges pressed against him by the Prosecutor General.
A Juvenile Court official told local media that the three minors will have to provide detailed answers to the charges pressed against them in the next hearing, which will be held after 15 days.
Juvenile Court Spokesperson Zaeema Nasheed was unavailable for comment as she was attending the Juvenile Justice Program.
Three men have been charged in the same case, in addition to the minors.
Police identified the three men as Muhujath Ahmed Naseeh of Gahdhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, Ali Mushaf of Maradhoo in Addu City and Mohamed Maimoon of Naifaru in Lhaviyani Atoll.
Abdul Muheeth of G. Veyru was rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after he was stabbed at 1:45am near the Finance Ministry building on February 19. He later died during treatment.
In March, Police Inspector Abdulla Satheeh said Muheeth was mistakenly killed by a gang and that he was not the intended target.
Police said Muheeth was not a member of any gangs and said he held a responsible job at the time he was stabbed to death.
The Juvenile court is also hearing a second murder case involving a girl and two boys under the age of 18, who are suspected to be involved in the murder of 21 year-old Ahusan Basheer.
Family members of Ahusan Basheer were recently summoned to the court to approve a possible death sentence verdict if the three minors were to be found guilty in the case.
Four of Basheer’s family members said they approved of death sentence. According to the Juvenile Court there were four additional family members who needed to tell the court their stance in order to decide whether death sentence should be passed if the suspects were found guilty.