Four arrested for intimidating landlord, property damage released

Four arrested for trespassing a home in Male’ City’s Galolhu district, intimidating the landlord and causing property damage have been released from custody.

The four men were arrested from the scene of crime on March 8^th. They are:

• Mohamed Aflah, 23 (Reethi Hiya, AA. Maalhos)
• Ibrahim Ahnaf, 21 (Elas, N. Velidhoo)
• Mohamed Azan, 23 (Haveyli, N. Manadhoo)
• Ali Navaf, 21 (Fazaa, Th. Guraidhoo)

Criminal Court remanded them in custody for 15 days on March 9^th. Upon expiration of the remand period, the Court extended their remand by an additional 15 days on March 23^rd.

The extended remand period expired on Monday.

As such, a remand hearing was held at the Criminal Court on Monday during which the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) requested all four suspects be remanded in custody pending the outcome of their trial.

However, the Court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to warrant their remand, hence, ordered their release.

The suspects were granted release subject to conditions that have not been disclosed.

On the first day the suspects were presented for a remand hearing, all of them claimed that the apartment in question was rented by their friend, Athoof, who has a lease agreement with the owner of the house. According to the suspects, they had gone to the apartment to clean the premises at the request of Athoof, on a paid basis.

They denied causing damage to the property, adding they had not gone premises to fight with anyone.

The initial remand order, citing the Investigation Officer (IO), stated that none of the parties involved in the case submitted any documents indicating the apartment was rented by an individual named Athoof.

During the second remand hearing, the suspects claimed they had gone to the property with the tenant and the lease agreement. They repeatedly denied threatening any party and causing damage to the property. The suspects further stressed that the apartment was empty when they had gone there.

Police has said the alleged tenant who had gone to the property with them did not possess a valid lease agreement. The remand order underscored that the suspects had stated during the hearing they were not aware whether the lease agreement was legitimate or not.

According to all the remand orders, all four suspects have prior criminal records.