Delivery of verdict on Najeeb

The delivery of verdict on the murder case of writer and lawyer Ahmed Najeeb has been postponed until next week.

At the final session of the trial at Criminal Court today, the presiding Judge said that the delivery of the verdict had to be postponed due to delays in receiving the statement of one of Najeeb’s heirs, obtained via the High Commission in Sri Lanka, with the heir’s signature and fingerprint.

Both suspects, Ahmed Murrath of Maafannu Masroora and Fathimath Hana of Rihaab, Sh. Goidhoo, are charged with first degree murder.

Despite both suspects having confessed to the crime, the State Prosecutor presented evidence to support his case to further convince the Judge.

The evidence included photos of Najeeb’s body showing stab wounds to the neck; these photos were not displayed at the trial.

CCTV footage of Murrath and Hana entering IGMH canteen after withdrawing cash from the nearby ATM, and bank statements confirming that money had been withdrawn from the account on two occasions were also presented as evidence.

The State also proposed to present a statement by a foreign national shopkeeper that Hana purchased a bottle of air freshener allegedly to reduce the odor after Najeeb was murdered.

A further statement was presented by the shopkeeper from whom the garbage can used to hide the body was bought.

The state also presented a fingerprint report revealing that Murrath and Hana’s fingerprints had been found on the garbage can.

A statement from the owner of Maafannu Masroora Azeeza Hassan was also proposed, however this statement was not presented.

Murrath and Hana’s confessions in court and descriptions of how they carried out the crime were mentioned in the summary statement by the State.

Following the presentation of the evidence, the Judge asked Murrath and Hana if they had any objection to any of the evidence which had been presented, to which both replied that they had no objection.