High Court upholds death sentence for Shanoon in the 2015 murder of Ali Ziyadham

The High Court on Thursday upheld the death sentence handed down by the Criminal Court in the murder of Ali Ziyadham, committed 11 years ago.

The prosecution charged Mohamed Shanoon, of Heena Villa, L. Mundoo, and Ali Sifam, of Beach Villa, L. Mundoo, with intentional homicide for allegedly stabbing Ziyadham in the thigh with an eight‑inch knife.

In 2023, the Criminal Court sentenced Shanoon to death and Sifam to life imprisonment for intentional homicide and aiding and abetting in the March 2015 attack on Ziyadham, of Noovilu, L. Mundoo.

Ziyadham’s heirs had already asked the court to impose the death penalty on those convicted of his murder. The prosecution appealed the death sentence to the High Court to ensure the validity of the judgment.

Delivering the verdict, Justice Huzaifa Mohamed said the lower court had submitted sufficient evidence to prove that Shanoon attacked Ziyadham with a sharp object. Witnesses testified that they saw Shanoon attack Ziyadham, and evidence showed that both Ziyadham’s blood and Shanoon’s blood were present at the scene of the attack, he said.

The case was heard by Justice Huzaifa, Justice Hassan Shafiu, and Justice Ibrahim Mahir. The three judges unanimously agreed that there was no reason to change the death sentence.