Closed hearing held in Addu businessman’s murder case

Criminal Court held a closed hearing in the trial of Ahmed Ibrahim Didi, 39, from Hithadhoo, Addu City – who is accused of murdering his uncle, businessman Ali Abdulla.

The reason why the hearing held this Wednesday at 11 am was closed is unclear at this point.

An official from Prosecutor General’s Office who spoke to “Sun” said that proof Ahmed Ibrahim Didi participated in the murder of his uncle was found during the investigation.

PG Office decided not to pursue prosecution of other suspects in the case due to lack of sufficient evidence against them.

“Only Ahmed Ibrahim Didi from Happy Future in S. Hithadhoo is found to have actively participated in the murder of Ali Abdulla from the investigation,” said the official.

Briefing the press regarding the case, Head of Serious and Organized Crime Department of Maldives Police Service, Superintendent of Police, Abdulla Shatheeh said that Ali Abdulla owned a shop in the house Happy Future called “Two Way” and that the prime suspect in the case is believed to have been financially motivated to murder Ali Abdulla.

He said that more than MVR 40,000 in cash was found buried in the home of the suspect.

Shatheeh said that family of Ali Abdulla filed a missing person’s report with the police on March 2, which sparked a community search for him.

An elderly woman found Ali Abdulla’s motorcycle in the foliage, and Ali Abdulla’s body three feet away from the bike.

“When found, half of his body – up from his chest – was inside the paddy field. The other half was on the grass,” said Shatheeh.

Shatheeh said that the body of Ali Abdulla had bruises on his elbows, and strangle marks on his neck. His tongue had been swollen and protruding out of his mouth.

He said that Ali Abdulla’s body showed signs he had been dragged to the paddy field.

Ali Abdulla’s mobile phone, used in his shop to reload phone credit was also found from the area. All of the credit had been transferred to another mobile phone.