Court acquits suspects arrested in connection with assault on Addu City Mayor

The Hithadhoo Magistrate Court has found two suspects accused of assaulting Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq not guilty.

Charges had been pressed against Ahmed Hassan Didi of Jamburoalumage in Hithadhoo and Moosa Fathhy of Saadhage over their alleged role in an attack on the mayor shortly after the controversial transfer of power on February 7, 2013.

In its verdict today, Hithadhoo Court stated that both suspects pleaded not guilty, while state prosecutors had been unable to convince the court that the suspects beyond any doubt had involvement in the attack .

On February 9, 2012, Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodig was attacked by approximately 10 individuals while taking a phone call outside the City Council.

He claimed at the time that his assailants were associated with government coalition parties Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), and several other groups.

The attack on Sodig came as members of the public, allegedly supporting ousted president Mohamed Nasheed, burned and closed police stations and courts in islands across the Maldives.

Sodig sustained injuries to his wrist, back and head.

Following the attack, Sodig and his family went into hiding until the situation was under control.

Sodig described the attack as an ambush. “They jumped over the wall and surrounded me before I could run, and began beating me to the ground, then jumping on me. If they had had knives, they would have killed me.”

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