Nadheem’s murder: Minor released on technicality ordered back to jail

The Juvenile Court has begun rehearing the case against a minor accused of involvement in the 2017 murder of Nadheem Abdul Raheem (Nadey), granting an order for him to be jailed pending the outcome of the trial.

The move comes nearly three years after the charge against him was dismissed on a technicality by the court.

Nadheem, 19, H. A. Thakandhoo, died from injuries he sustained after he was stabbed as he sat in Terminal Café in Male’ on July 27, 2017.

Five people were charged in connection to his murder; four adults and a minor.

Mohamed Mafaz Hussain Saleem, G. Shaaraaz, Male’ City was charged with murder using a sharp-edged weapon, while Ali Nifaz, Vidhaathari, L. Gan; Hussain Shamin, Samantha, R. Innamaadhoo; Mohamed Karam Suhail, Havaas, G. A. Gemanafushi; and the minor were charged as accomplices.

After the trial against the minor began at the Juvenile Court, the judge in charge of the trial made the decision to reverse an earlier decision to keep him detained pending the outcome of the trial.

The decision was contested by the State prosecution with the High Court, which instructed the Juvenile Court to review the decision.

However, the Juvenile Court dismissed the charge against the minor, citing that the charge was filed after the deadline for submitting charges had already closed.

The decision to dismiss the charge was contested by the State prosecution with the High Court, which has ordered for the Juvenile Court to rehear the case and make a new decision regarding the minor’s detainment.

The Juvenile Court has now reopened the case as ordered by the High Court, and the Prosecutor General’s Office spokesperson, Public Prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu confirms that the court has issued an order to have the minor detained pending the outcome of the trial as requested by the State.

The trial the remaining suspects charged in Nadheem’s murder remains ongoing at the Criminal Court. The trial is now at the witness testimony stage.