High Court supports seven year prison sentence for man who caused damage to VTV property

The High Court has backed the Criminal Court ruling to sentence Mohamed Hameed to seven years in prison, for causing damage to VTV property on 19 March 2012.

The High Court said in its ruling today that eyewitnesses had given statements in court indicating that Mohamed Hameed had thrown stones at VTV building.

Mohamed Hameed said in court that he had been given the maximum sentence for this crime, and highlighted that in normal practice, the courts do not give the maximum sentence for suspects who are convicted for the first time, who do not have a criminal record.

The High Court said that since the law states that the penalty for this crime is a prison sentence of between three and seven years, it is at the discretion of the presiding judge to decide on the length of the prison sentence.

The High Court further said that Mohamed Hameed, when causing damage to VTV, joined a large group, used weapons and acted in broad daylight in a manner that could incite fear in the society.

A total of eight people have been sentenced to seven years in prison, while a minor has been sentenced to two years in prison in relation to the VTV case.