Ziyadam murder trial to be held in secret, as requested by PG

The hearing against the two suspects charged with the murder of Ali Ziyadam, 29, will be held in secret as requested by the Prosecutor General (PG), Criminal Court Spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Manik has said.

Ziyadam died after being stabbed at around 10:30 a.m. on 20 March 2015.

PG Office was unavailable for a comment at the time of publication.

The suspects are Mohamed Shanoon, 24, and Ali Sifam, 29.

Presenting the charges in court at the first hearing on 19 May 2015, the State Prosecutor said that Shanoon and Sifam stabbed Ziyadam on the thigh with an 8-inch blade knife, while he was walking near Vaguthee Hiya in Laamu Mundoo at around 10:30 p.m. on 20 March 2015.

Shanoon and Sifam then chased Ziyadam and stabbed him again, the State Prosecutor said.

The State has charged Shanoon and Sifam with murder using a sharp object.

In addition to the murder charge, Shanoon has also been charged with intimidation and assault.

The intimidation charge follows an incident on 20 March 2015, when Shanoon threatened Mohamed Nizar near the Health Post in Mundoo.

Shanoon is charged with assault after he assaulted Abdulla Shifau while he was carrying Ziyadam’s body, following the stabbing, to the Health Post.