Prosecution appeals acquittal in Udhayyu murder trial

The Prosecutor General’s Office has appealed to the High Court against the acquittal of one man charged in the 2021 murder of 17-year-old Ahmed Udhayyu.  

The incident occurred on February 8, 2021, during a gang altercation in GA. Maamendhoo. Udhayyu’s brother, Firushan Zahir, was also injured in the fight and received treatment at Gaafu Alifu Atoll Hospital and later at Dr. Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital in Thinadhoo. Udhayyu succumbed to his injuries during treatment.  

In the case, Sharaf Rasheed of Bilaihmaage was charged as an accessory to murder with a sharp-edged weapon. However, the Criminal Court did not convict him on that count. Instead, he was found guilty of participating in the gang fight with a sharp object and sentenced to seven years in prison.  

The prosecution has now appealed, arguing that the murder charge was not sufficiently proven in the lower court. The case has been referred to the High Court, though hearings have not yet been scheduled.  

Meanwhile, Ahmed Shameem of Rihifarudhaage and Mohamed Mazin of Gulfaamge, both from GA. Maamendhoo, were convicted of murder with intent. Their death sentences were handed down in line with the wishes of Udhayyu’s family, who requested the ultimate penalty. In court, Udhayyu’s mother declared: “I just want death for death, I want a life for a life.”  

Earlier, in October 2022, a 17-year-old boy involved in the case was convicted of murder with intent and sentenced to 25 years in prison.  

The case has drawn significant public attention, not only for the severity of the sentences but also for the broader debate over capital punishment in the Maldives. Legal observers note that the High Court’s decision on the appeal could set an important precedent for how accessory charges are treated in murder cases involving gang violence.