Hamdhoon sentenced to death for Agil’s murder

The Criminal Court has delivered the death penalty against Hamdhoon Hamzath, after finding him guilty in the 2018 murder of Ibrahim Agil, a young man from GDh. Faresmaathoda.

Agil, 19, was stabbed to death at the jetty located near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) headquarters on August 31, 2018, just as he got off a boat from V. Fulidhoo to Male’.

Three people were prosecuted in the case. Hamdhoon, a native of L. Fonadhoo, and Ali Mijvad Malik Ibrahim, a native of S. Hithadhoo, were charged with murder with intent using a sharp-edged weapon, while Ibrahim Visham, a native of HA. Dhidhdhoo, was charged as an accessory.

While Hamdhoon was found guilty of Agil’s murder, the other two suspects – Mijvad and Visham – were acquitted earlier.

The Criminal Court delivered the death penalty against Hamdhoon on Sunday, after Agil’s heirs – his mother and father - both said they wished the court to implement qisas or retributive justice.

Agil had got off the speedboat ‘Skull Rider’ from V. Fulidhoo at around 07:30 pm on August 31, 2018. He was stabbed as soon as he disembarked, and died from his injuries at around 08:59 pm that night at the ADK Hospital.

Eye witnesses and CCTV footage placed Hamdhoon at the scene with another individual holding a knife. One witnessed testified to seeing Hamdhoon chasing Agil while holding a knife, seeing Agil collapse as Hamdhoon stabbed him, and seeing Hamdhoon get on the back of a motorcycle and head towards the Vilimale’ Ferry Terminal afterwards.

Police had said at the time that Agil’s murder had been part of a deadly cycle of retaliation between two rival gangs.