The Criminal Court of the Maldives has decided to allow anonymous witness statements to be presented by the state in the May 6 attack trials.
Criminal Court is conducting the trials of eight people charged by the state in relation to the terrorist attack carried out on May 6, 2021, targeting Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed. The hearing held on June 9 saw the presentation of evidence by both the state and the defendants.
During the evidence presented, the state requested the anonymity of witnesses in order to ensure their safety. Despite objections by the defendants, the court granted the request and decided to allow witnesses to provide their statements using an alternative voice.
Speaker Nasheed was severely injured after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attached to a motorcycle was triggered while he was getting in his car on the night of May 6 last year. The attack left Nasheed with serious injuries, requiring multiple life-saving surgeries at ADK Hospital in Male’ City and additional medical treatment in Germany and the UK.
A total of nine people were charged in relation to the attack, including Ahmed Adhuham Rasheed, Thahumeen Ahmed, Mujaz Ahmed, Ali Haisham, Mohamed Nazim, Ishaq, Fahumee Ali, Mohamed Thasleem, and Abdulla Ali Manik. However, only Ahmed Adhuham Rasheed has been convicted so far.