Ameen Faisal’s hearing cancelled after no-show from defense witnesses

Hearing in the trial of former Minister of Defense, Ameen Faisal was cancelled this Thursday after defense witnesses failed to attend the court.

Faisal Ameen stands accused of terrorism for the arrest and one-week detention of current Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in K. Aarah during former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration.

Ameen Faisal had been Minister of Defense at the time.

Criminal Court reports the hearing in the case, scheduled for 1 pm this Thursday, was cancelled after defense witnesses failed to attend the court.

Ameen Faisal has requested that President Yameen, former Chief of Defense Force Moosa Ali Jaleel and former Head of MNDF’s Legal Department Zubair Ahmed Manik to be summoned to court as witnesses for the defense.

He is accused taking President Yameen under custody of MNDF on July 14, 2010 despite protest under the pretense of providing him with protection, and violating his freedom.