High Court upholds Hana’s death sentence

High Court, on Monday, upheld the death sentence issued against Fathimath Hana from Rihaab in Sh. Goidhoo in the murder of famous lawyer and author Ahmed Najeeb.

Chief judge from High Court presiding over the appeal, Judge Ali Sameer said that all five judges presiding over the case had voted to uphold Hana’s death sentence.

Judge Sameer said that Hana has confessed to police during interrogation that Hana and her then-boyfriend Murrath had planned to go to Najeeb’s home to threaten him and coerce money from him one month prior to his murder.

But had later discussed that it would be safer to have Najeeb come to the room they live for rent in Masrooraage under the presence that they needed assistance of a lawyer.

Judge Sameer said that though Hana had said that she gave her statement to police in a state of distress, she had said during trial at Criminal Court that the statement she gave to police was accurate.

He said that confessions made during trial was an official confession of the crime, and that the court did not feel Hana had been coerced when she gave her statement.

He said that though Hana said she had not actually stabbed Najeeb to death but had participated in the events leading up to his death, all involved in a murder – though the killing blow was made by someone else – would be held responsible.

The judge said that Najeeb had been brought to the rented room after Hana called him with her mobile phone and set up the meeting, and that Hana had fully participated in gagging him with a piece of cloth and then taping him.

He said that it was proven beyond doubt that Hana had the intention of premeditated murder, and that Hana would be held responsible along with Murrath.

In addition to Judge Sameer, the appeal was presided over by Judge Abdulla Didi, Judge Abdulla Hameed, Judge Shujau Usman, and Judge Abdul Rauf Ismail.

The couple – who both sit on death row – married while in prison.