Hearings in the trial of first charge of obstruction of justice against South Galolhu MP Ahmed Mahloof ended on Sunday.
He was charged for allegedly refusing to board a police vehicle despite repeated orders by police on April 3, after a remand hearing in Criminal Court at 7 pm, and attempting to flee police custody.
Making his summary statement, state prosecutor said that Mahloof had deliberately dropped down onto the ground when police attempted to catch him. And that the charge was proven against Mahloof based on testimony of state witnesses.
He said that though witnesses in defense had testified that they had not heard the exchange between Mahloof and police, it could not be considered as officers had testified that they had ordered for civilians and reporters to clear the site.
Meanwhile, defense attorney Abdulla Haseen said in his summary statement that only one officer testified that Mahloof tried to evade police custody that night, while other officers had said that they were not aware Mahloof had tried to escape.
He said that testimonies of state witnesses were therefore contradictory.
Haseen said that the two reporters who testified on behalf of defense – Ahmed Hameed Adam and Mohamed Wisaam had said that police had not told Mahloof to board the police vehicle, and that they had not claimed to have not heard the exchange between Mahloof and police.
He said that Mahloof had not tried to escape, but had rushed towards his wife “because police were all over her”.
Judge Ibrahim Ali announced that a verdict would be issued next.
The charge carries a fine of up to MVR 12,000 or a jail sentence of up to 6 months.