Police: Anas was killed due to mistaken identity

Maldives Police Service has said that the Mohamed Anas, Raa Meedhoo, was killed on 31 July 2017 by his attackers who thought he was someone else.

Speaking at a press conference held at Iskandharu Koshi today, the lead investigating officer on thecase, Chief Station Inspector, Mohamed Saamih gave a detailed account of the murder.

He said that on the night of 31 July 2017 around 9 :09 p.m., Anas was on a motorcycle in front of the gate to the Litus Garage on Handhuvarudhey Goalhi, alone, when he was attacked by a group of people who came on four motorcycles, openly carrying knives.

Chief Station Inspector, Saamih said that it was this sight that scared Anas and caused him to run inside the Litus Garage. And then four of the assailants, who were on the back seat of the four motorcycles, followed him in and fatally attacked him stabbing him in 25 places on his body.

"The attackers then left on the four motorcycles they came on and fled the scene" He said.

Saamih said that some of them were covering their faces that night but they all have been identified, arrested and charged with the crime.

He said that the eight assailants went to the Litus Garage area with information to attack and kill the members of a rival gang but that gang had left the area before they arrived.

The Chief Station Inspector also highlighted that a number of people went inside the garage after the assailants left the scene but none of them tried to helped the victim of the brutal attack but the garage employees were trying to stop the bleeding.

Police said that they have gathered enough evidence to pursue "Qisas" (the Islamic equivalent of retributive justice) against all those involved in the fatal attack.

Three people have been charged with first degree murder in relation to the mutder of Mohamed Anas. They are:

- Usman Shareef (Maafannu Dhimisq)

- Ahmed Zayan (Lhaviyani Kurendhoo)

- Afrah Abdul Razzaq (Maafannu Lonumidhilige)

And four people have been charged as accessories. They are:

- Junaih Abdulla (Laamu Gan, Thundi)

- Hassan Mahfooz (Feydhoo, Addu City)

- Simaah Moosa (State Reg: 1746)

- Mohamed Shaaz (Thaa Kimbidhoo)