Two suspects of drug peddling, money laundering acquitted

Two suspects arrested from Gnaviyani atoll Fuvahmulah on December 9^, 2024 for drug peddling and money laundering, have been acquitted.

Authorities arrested Ahmed Niushad, 34 years, and Hassan Azim, 29 years, both men originally from Fuvahmulah.

Although authorities arrested others suspected in the case, both Niushad and Azim are the primary suspects.

Investigations revealed over MVR 21 million circulated the personal bank account of Niushad in 2024, while more than MVR 7 million of transactions were conducted from the personal bank account of Azim in the last two years.

Both men were acquitted at their remand hearing at Fuvahmulah Magistrate’s Court. They were initially sentenced to remand pending trial.

In two separate judgments issued by the High Court, the Magistrate’s Court sentenced their remand against Article 60 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

The judges who presided over these cases argued that the prosecution is required to sufficiently provide evidences against both Niushad and Azim proving their culpability of the offences.

The judges in their opinion also highlighted that there are two categories of evidence; one of which is sufficient to prove guilt despite the lack of evidence proving the criminal offence.

High Court in its judgment highlighted that in Azim’s remand judgment, the lower court noted the presence of sufficient evidence against him in one instance, but in other instances, it was noted that ‘some evidence’ were present – creating a conflict in the statement.

In the remand judgment of Niushad, presence of ‘some evidence’ were noted in three different places, the High Court judgment read.

In both instances, the lower court had referred to Article 60(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act; and in the event where prosecution has presented ‘some’ evidence instead of sufficient evidence to prove guilty intention, a remand sentence would violate the said Article.

The prosecution had attempted to convince the appellate court for a sentence declaring the judgment of the lower court would not impede the remand of both suspects, but failed to provide any legal grounds for this.

Following this error in the lower court’s judgment, the High Court ordered to annul the Fuvahmulah Magistrate’s Court’s judgment.