State to Appeal Acquittal of Seven in Shameem Attack Case

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has confirmed its intention to appeal the acquittal of seven individuals charged with the attempted murder of former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem. 

The PGO stated that the appeal would be filed with the High Court before the Monday deadline, which marks the end of the 30-working-day appeal window applicable to cases involving the use of dangerous weapons.

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The Criminal Court had acquitted the seven men on 14 April, citing concerns about the credibility of the CCTV footage presented as the prosecution’s key evidence. The court noted discrepancies between the timestamp on the footage and the time the incident reportedly occurred. The judgement highlighted the prosecution’s failure to adequately address this issue, which the court found undermined the integrity of its case.

The attack on Shameem took place on 31 January 2024, while he was jogging in Male’. He was reportedly targeted by two individuals on a motorbike and sustained a fractured arm while defending himself.

According to the PGO, the accused were involved in various capacities: one is alleged to have carried out the assault, another is accused of transporting the attacker, while others are said to have waited in a nearby vehicle. All were charged with attempted murder using a dangerous weapon.

The incident provoked widespread condemnation both locally and internationally. It occurred shortly after the termination of state-provided security for Shameem, prompting the Maldives National Defence Force to reinstate protective measures in the aftermath.

Shameem had served as Prosecutor General from December 2019 until his dismissal by Parliament in August 2024.