Criminal Court Acquits Two Men in Fatal Stabbing Case in Malé

The Criminal Court has acquitted two men charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man inside a shop in Malé City, citing insufficient evidence to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, the court cleared Ibrahim Faih Nizam of Seenu Maradhoo Feydhoo and Siuhan Ali of Thaa Gaadhiffushi of charges related to the killing of Irmeez Ahmed from Seenu Hithadhoo. Irmeez was stabbed to death on 24 February 2023 inside a shop in Maafannu.

According to the ruling, key evidence presented by the prosecution, including video footage analysis, failed to conclusively identify the accused as the perpetrators. The court noted that footage showing individuals believed to be the attackers later moving along the street in different clothing did not clearly reveal their faces, making it impossible to definitively link them to the defendants.

The court also raised concerns regarding a video allegedly showing Faih fleeing to a nearby house. The timestamp on the footage was dated 2000, and the prosecution was unable to explain the discrepancy, casting doubt on its reliability.

DNA evidence presented by the prosecution indicated the presence of genetic material belonging to Faih, the deceased, and an unidentified third individual on a counter inside the shop. However, the court ruled that this alone was insufficient to connect Faih to the crime, noting that the DNA could have been deposited at any time prior to the incident. The presence of an unknown third party’s DNA further suggested the possibility of another individual’s involvement.

The judgment also highlighted gaps in the handling of forensic evidence. It stated that there was no indication that DNA samples had been compared with those of individuals who worked at the shop or first responders who attended the scene.

Similarly, while fingerprints belonging to Siruhan were found inside the shop, the court observed that prints from seven unidentified individuals were also present. It noted that investigators had not verified whether these prints belonged to employees or others who had legitimate access to the premises.

The court concluded that the prosecution’s case relied solely on circumstantial evidence and lacked a complete chain of proof. It further noted that the defence had submitted evidence suggesting the accused were not present at the time of the incident.