Cameraman Zareer to be sentenced on 27 February

The sentencing hearing in the Obstruction of Police Duty case against the Raajje TV camera-person, Adam Zareer has been scheduled for 27 February 2017.

The sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for today before the hearing was cancelled.

Zareer told Sun Media tonight that he has received the notice saying that the sentencing hearing has been set for 27 February.

The charge against him states that on 25 March 2015, Zareer forcefully entered the closed area at the junction of Boduthakurufaanu Magu and Dhidhi Goalhi due to an opposition protest rally and pushed against the Police shields and obstructed the Police from doing their job.

When Zareer refused to the charges, the court has taken witness testimonies to prove the crime.

At the closing statements, the State Prosecutor said that the three journalists who testified for the defense said that they did not see him doing such a thing and it was to protect their friend. She accused the defense witnesses of perjury.

She said that the evidence provided at court are sufficient to the amount mentioned at Article 51-H of the Constitution to convict.

The State Prosecutor said today that the defense witness, Mohamed Sharuhan, a photographer at Mihaaru News, is a journalist at Raajje TV.

The Defense attorney Abdulla Haseen said that the State Prosecutor lied and that Sharuhan works at Mihaaru News.

He said that video evidence provided by the State supports the testimonies given by the defense witnesses.

Haseen said that the video shows Zareer wearing the pass issued by the Broadcasting Commission with the camera and does not show him doing anything mentioned in the charge against him and so his client cannot be convicted.

Two other journalists from Raajje TV, Mohamed Visam Livan Ali Nasir charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer have their sentencing scheduled at 19 December.