Submission of witness list in “Finifenma” explosion re-scheduled to May 26

Submission of list of witnesses in trial of explosion on board presidential speedboat “Finifenma” has been re-scheduled to May 26 by Criminal Court.

The hearing was originally scheduled for May 26 and then preponed to Monday because the judges felt enough time had been given to submit list of witnesses.

Defense attorneys for former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor and his bodyguards Hassan Rikaz and Ahmed Amir raised concerns regarding the court’s decision to prepone the hearing.

Adeeb requested to speak while state prosecution was submitting witness list and evidence during Monday’s hearing.

He said that he received the relevant documents on May 14, and therefore had not had time to prepare.

“I am being kept in Dhoonidhoo. I’m allowed to meet my lawyer once a week. I was preparing for 26th as per schedule given by court before. I received the documents on 14th of this month. I have not been able to prepare and therefore cannot submit witnesses today,” said Adeeb.

Amir’s attorney, Abdulla Shair said that Criminal Court called and informed him of the hearing at 2 pm on Sunday, while he was in court attending to another case.

He said that he had already bought tickets to travel to H. Dh. Finey in a case he was attending to over there – which he had to cancel because of the change in schedule.

He said that it had therefore violated the rights of his client in Finey.

Judge Ahmed Rasheed – who is presiding over the case – questioned why Shair had failed to send a letter to the court, informing them of the conflict in schedule.

Shair said that he had been at court attending to another case when he got the phone call.

And that it was past 3 pm – the court closing time – by the time he finished the case, and was therefore unable to submit a letter to court.

Judge Ahmed Shareef then questioned why Shair had not submitted a letter during the morning hours of Monday; to which Shair said that it would have been pointless as he had already cancelled the ticket to Finey.

The judge said that defense attorneys were receiving court documents late because they did

not pick up the phone when court’s administrative officials call them.

“We have been informed by court administrative officers that attorneys are not picking up the phone when they call,” said the judge.

Meanwhile, Rizak’s attorney, Maumoon Moosa said that he had been attending a hearing of another client when he got the phone call from court. And that court did not pick up the phone when he called back after the hearing.

The state prosecutor said that they had submitted documents within the given time period.

And believed the court had handed over the documents to defense.

But said that they did not know the specifics of visits allowed for prisoners with their attorneys.

Judge Ahmed Shareef said that as neither defense nor prosecution had any objections, the hearing would be held on May 26. He said that no further chances would be given if defense failed to submit their witness and evidence list on May 26.

He also said that court would send a letter to police and Maldives Correctional Service requesting them to make easier arrangements for the defendants.

Testimony of state witnesses has been scheduled for May 27, and testimony of witnesses for defense – for May 30.