Lawyers for the Prosecutor General’s Office have withdrawn charges against two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of 76 year-old Ali Hassan, of Kudahuvadhoo in Dhaalu Atoll.
The two suspects were previously identified by the police as Fauzan Mohamed and Ibrahim Majeed of Kudahuvadhoo.
Local media reported that the state attorney had told the Criminal Court the charges were withdrawn for revision, and were to be re-submitted to the court.
The state attorney told the court the police investigation into Fauzan Mohamed and Ibrahim Majeed’s involvement in the murder case was ongoing at the time the trial began in the Criminal Court.
According to the state attorney, police have obtained additional evidence against the suspect and the PG wished to review it and revise the case.
The judge then asked the state attorney to resubmit the case as soon as possible.
Criminal Court Spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Manik did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.
Fauzan Mohamed and Ibrahim Majidh have previously denied the charges against them in the Criminal Court. A case involving Ibrahim Waseem, Ali Hassan’s step-grandson, remains in court.
On March 25, 2013, the first hearing was held into the case and Ibrahim Waseem confessed to being an accessory to murder.
During the hearing Waseem claimed he has been seeking revenge after hearing allegations that Hassan was responsible for the murder of his mother using sorcery.
Waseem was accused of conspiring with Fauzan Mohamed and Ibrahim Majeed, both also from Kudahuvadhoo, of murdering Ali Hassan as he made his way back from maghrib prayers. The defendant admitted to spying on Ali Hassan, but denies direct involvement in the murder.
On January 8 this year, Ali Hassan’s body was discovered with multiple stab wounds in an abandoned house on Kudahuvadhoo.
The victim had previously been accused of using sorcery on a 37 year-old woman, who was reported missing at 2:00am on December 4, 2011 and whose body was later found floating in Kudahuvadhoo lagoon later that morning.
In September 2010, the Juvenile Court obtained statements from Ali Hassan’s heirs. Little is known about the hearing as the Juvenile Court conducts all hearings closed to public and the media.
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