The Criminal Court has refuted claim by some media groups that the release of the report on the case related to the murder of Ali Shifan of M. Fairy Corner, who was murdered near Westpark Restaurant in April 2012, to the Prosecutor General’s Office was delayed due to the judge presiding over this case.

An official of the Criminal Court told Sun Online today that the claim by some media groups that the judge who presided over Shifan’s murder case was amongst the judges who do not complete the reports after the trials are completed, is not true.

The Criminal Court released the report on the Ali Shifan murder case to the PG Office today.

An official of the Criminal Court said that the PG Office requested the court to provide the report on how the trial was concluded shortly after the trial was concluded, however, the judge was only informed of this request today.

“The claim by some media groups that the release of the report on the case related to the murder of Ali Shifan to the Prosecutor General’s Office was delayed because of the judge presiding over this case, is untrue. It’s true, the PG Office requested for the report four days after the trial was completed on 20 March. The letter sent by the PG Office in this regard was at the section responsible for releasing reports. The judge came to know of this letter today. Once he knew about it, he contacted the report section himself and released the report. So how’s this the judge’s fault? How can the judge release the report if he didn’t know about the PG’s Office’s letter?” he said.

He further said that the report was under the sole supervision of the judge, as witness testimonies against the six suspects were provided anonymously.

He said that reports related to cases where witnesses provide testimonies in secret are released after the section responsible for releasing reports communicates with the judge after the letter requesting for the report is received.

The State had pressed charges against Mohamed Mishan Abdul Haadhee of M. Silvernet, Mohamed Asif of Maafahi in Lhaviyani Kurendhoo, Mohamed Shaifan of Male’ Dhaftharu 2193, Ali Nabeeh of M. Nalahiya Manzil, Razzan Abdul Rahman of Kaanimaage in Baa Thulhaadhoo, and Abdullah Thilmeez of M. Dhinmana, following the murder of Ali Shifan.

Commissioner of Police Abdullah Riyaz has said that the case will be appealed by the PG Office after it receives and assesses the report.

The Criminal Court found all suspects not guilty of the murder. The court said that there were serious discrepancies between the statements provided by the witnesses during the investigations and in court, and thus ruled that a person cannot be convicted of intentional murder based on such statements.