The government has expressed concern over the Criminal Court’s acquittal of all seven suspects charged over the murder of Mohamed Anas from Raa Meedhoo in a case of mistaken identity seven years ago.
The failure to convict the defendants in the case would cause loss of the public's confidence in law enforcement agencies, the Home Ministry said in a statement yesterday.
All suspects in the case were found not guilty by the Criminal Court last Sunday.
Three men were charged with murder and four men were charged with aiding and abetting the murder in connection with the fatal stabbing on July 31, 2017.
As Anas had been attacked in public, the lack of punishment for so openly endangering a person’s life poses obstacles to the rule of law, the statement read.
“In order to avoid a repeat of such incidents and uphold the rule of law, the Attorney General’s Office has now started identifying reforms that need to be made to laws within the criminal justice system,” the statement added.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has assured that it will make a decision on proceeding with the case after the court report is issued.
The Home Ministry said it was working with all relevant agencies to strengthen the criminal justice system, establish justice and punish offenders.
The prosecution has said that the state will appeal the acquittals.
Anas was murdered seven years ago inside the Litus service center in Male'. Video footage of the incident had been leaked online at the time. It showed Anas running inside the center after he saw a group of men approaching with knives.
The video showed each of the gang members stabbing him repeatedly after they followed Anas inside the center.
A minor was also charged over the murder. He was acquitted after a trial at the Juvenile Court but the High Court overturned the verdict and sentenced him to 18 years in jail in October 2022.
