Case Against Former Army Chief Ahmed Shiyam Dropped After Seven Years

The High Court has officially dismissed the long-standing case against former Chief of Defence Force Ahmed Shiyam.

Shiyam, who served during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, was accused of abusing his official position by allowing his father to reside in a VIP military facility and assigning an army officer to personally care for him.

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Although the Criminal Court had acquitted Shiyam in January 2024 due to lack of evidence, the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) filed an appeal, seeking to overturn the decision. However, in a notable reversal, the PGO later requested the High Court to withdraw the case. On June 30, the High Court granted the request and annulled the charge sheet.

According to the High Court report, the PGO’s withdrawal was based on the fact that the case had remained unresolved for seven years and that no other charges were pending against Shiyam. The court noted that the prosecution no longer intended to pursue the matter further.

The origin of the case traces back to 2020 when the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), at the request of then-Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, forwarded a request to press charges against Shiyam. Interestingly, the ACC had previously concluded that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution.

The Criminal Court’s acquittal was similarly grounded in a lack of compelling evidence. While the trial court ruled that the prosecution had failed to meet the burden of proof required to convict.

With the High Court’s dismissal, the case is now officially closed.