Criminal Court of the Maldives has sentenced Ismail Haisham Rasheed and Ahmed Zihaan Ismail to life in prison for the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed. The Criminal Court also set the financial compensation to be paid to the victim's heirs at USD 88,888.
Yameen Rasheed was brutally stabbed to death on April 23, 2017, at the stairwell of his residence in Male' City. The state pressed charges against six suspects, including Haisham and Zihaan who carried out the stabbing. The Criminal Court sentenced Haisham and Zihaan for the murder of Yameen Rasheed using a sharp object.
Although the heirs requested the death sentence, Yameen's mother told the court she wishes to accept the financial compensation, as Yameen strongly believed in the right to life. The court sentenced the two men to 20 years in prison, as all the heirs failed to unanimously agree on giving the death sentence as retributive justice under the Islamic punishment of Qisas.
The court found the other four suspects Mohamed Dhifran, Hassan Shifaz, Ismail Rasheed, and Hussain Ziyad not guilty of the charges.
Meanwhile, Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) stated the sentencing of Haisham and Zihaan is a major accomplishment in its efforts to find justice for the victim. However, the PGO stated the other four suspects had been involved in the planning of the murder and were also involved in various aspects of the crime. It stated it will make a decision on appealing the non-guilty charges for the suspects at the High Court of the Maldives, after reviewing the trial report.
The PGO added it will take all measures necessary to ensure justice is served in such serious crimes.