Yaamin’s murder: Defense lawyer claims secret witness was a suspect

Defense lawyer, on Tuesday, argued at High Court that the secret witness who testified in the trial of the brutal murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed was a suspect in the case and that the prosecution was against this.

Yameen was stabbed to death in the stairwell of his residence in Male’ City, M. Spatula, on April 23, 2017.   

Six suspects were put on trial for his murder; Ismail Haisham Rasheed (H. Annaarumaage, Male’ City), Ahmed Zihan Ismail (M.Iraasmikge, Male’ City), Mohamed Dhifran (Simbadge, G. Dh. Gadhdhoo), Hassan Shifaz (M. Kudhehige, Male’ City), Ismail Rasheed (M. Thaaif, Male’ City), and Hussain Ziyad (M. Kolhufushi East, Male’ City).

The Criminal Court found Haisham and Zihan guilty of murder back in January.

They were issued life sentences and ordered to pay MVR 1.3 million as diya (financial compensation).

The remaining four defendants were acquitted.

Prosecution appealed the acquittal of Mohamed Dhifran and Ismail Rasheed with the High Court.

Both Haisham and Zihan have appealed their convictions with the High Court.

Speaking at a hearing of the appeal by the convicts, their lawyer underscored there were many suspicions surrounding ‘Secret Witness-1’ who testified in the case.

In this regard, the lawyer detailed the witness declined to respond to any questions by the defense.

“You can’t ask questions about me. You should ask questions about your client. This was the witness’s language,” the lawyer said, adding the judge had only commented that he could not force the witness to testify upon complaints regarding the witness.

“We suspect that the witness is a suspect in the murder of Yaamin Rasheed,” the lawyer stressed.

Speaking further, the lawyer said the prosecution was against the secret witness’s testimony as well. Yet the lawyer stressed that the prosecution did not clarify the criminal record and the arrest record of the secret witness. Henceforth, the lawyer stressed there were many questions surrounding the secret witness.

The secret witness was shown video footage in the case following which they identified the person seen in the footage as Zihan.

Another witness in the case was an image analyst who said two features of the person seen in the video footage corroborated Zihan’s.

In reference to this, the lawyer emphasized this was not adequate evidence to prove a murder beyond a reasonable doubt.

“We are all sad that a life has been lost. But justice for the lost life should not be attained this way. By lowering the standard of proof at court by submitting weak evidence without a proper investigation,” the lawyer said.

The appeal proceedings at the High Court is presided over by Chief Judge Hassan Shafeeu, Judge Fathimath Faruheeza and Judge Abdul Maniu Hussain.

The bench concluded today’s hearing, announcing another will be held.