Magistrate Nihan sentenced to 17 years for the attempt to arrest President Yameen

Criminal Court has sentenced the Chief Magistrate of the Alifu Dhaalu Maamigili Court, Ahmed Nihan to 17 years in prison after being found guilty of an attempt to arrest the President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom with a false court order.

Nihan was sentenced after being convicted of the terrorism charge against him.

At the sentencing hearing last night, Judge Abdul Baree Yousuf said that the false court order found on a motorcycle on Neelofaru Goalhi by the name of Maafushi Court, does not prove to the court that Nihan was involved in the plot.

However the witness testimonies prove that he opened the court against the regulation on the night of 6 February and invited unauthorized people along with the former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Muhusin and was with the court laptop.

The verdict said that the Computer Forensic Report says that a document that shows the initial work of a court order for the arrest of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Delivering the verdict, the Judge said that evidence and witness testimonies provided by the state prove that Nihan attempted to influence the government, create fear among the people and take President Yameen hostage.

The former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Muhusin was sentence to 17 years in prison last night for his involvement in the case.

The sentenced passed on both of them is the lowest punishment for the charge under the new Anti-Terrorism Law.