Criminal Court convicts four over month long hostage ordeal in which victim’s finger was cut off

Four men have been convicted and sentenced to jail for kidnapping a man in Male' and cutting off his finger, despite the victim later telling the court he did not remember the incident and did not know any of the accused.

The case dates back to 2024, when a man was abducted and subjected to prolonged torture, including the severing of his finger. The prosecution charged five people:

• Ahmed Zayan / Link, L. Gan  
• Mohamed Naushaan Hussain / Uthurugeaage, Th. Thimarafushi  
• Ali Sami / Mehura, R. Kandholhudhoo  
• Mohamed Nafah / Full Moon, K. Maafushi  
• Ahmed Saif Waheed / Hudhuveli, G.Dh. Gahdhoo  

Police had earlier revealed that Nafah and Zayan were MNDF personnel at the time.

The accused maintained that the victim had not been kidnapped or intentionally tortured, claiming instead that his finger was injured while using a power tool.

In his initial statement to investigators, the victim said that on May 24, 2024, Sami took him to a house in Male' and assaulted him after he lost drugs entrusted to him. He said Sami and Naushaan beat him, while Nafah had strangled him with a fishing‑line noose.

He told police he was held hostage in the house for a month, and on June 23, Saif cut off his left little finger using a pipe cutter. Sami, Naushaan and Nafah were present, he said, and Zayan struck him in the face afterwards. 

However, according to Monday’s judgment, the victim had later testified in court that the injury was related to a prior incident. He said he did not remember what happened, did not know any of the accused, and did not recall giving information to police or hospital staff. He told the court he had been heavily intoxicated when taken to police and did not remember whether his finger was cut accidentally or by someone else.

The court noted that the victim had given two contradictory statements, one during the investigation and one during trial. The judgment states that the contradictory portion of his testimony should be set aside, and weight given only to the extent that other evidence supports the investigation statement.

Convictions and sentences

• Ahmed Saif Waheed was convicted of assault with a sharp object causing the loss of an organ.  
  Sentence: 15 years (to serve 12 years, 11 months, 24 days).

• Ali Sami and Mohamed Naushaan were convicted of participating in an assault with a sharp object causing the loss of an organ.  
  Sentence: 10 years each (to serve 7 years, 11 months, 24 days).

• Ahmed Zayan was convicted of failing to provide assistance to a person in need without reasonable cause.  
  Sentence: 3 months (no remaining time left to serve).

Mohamed Nafah, charged with participation, was not convicted.