Thinadhoo arson attacks: Two witnesses present statements

Two witnesses have presented their statements in court at the trial against four minors involved in the arson attacks on Gaaf Dhaalu Thinadhoo Police Station on 8 February 2012.

An official of Juvenile Court said that one of the witnesses provided a statement against one suspect, while the other provided a statement against all four suspects.

All four suspects have now turned 18.

The Juvenile Court official said that out of the twelve witnesses presented by the State, five have not presented their statements in court yet.

Two out of ten witnesses presented by the defendant also presented their statements in court today.

“The suspect had presented 70 people as witnesses. The court accepted ten. Two out of the ten witnesses presented their statements in court today,” the Juvenile Court official said.

He said that the court had not yet made a decision on accepting the witnesses presented by the other suspects.

He informed that the next session of the trial will be held next month, during which the State will be allowed to present further witness statements.

The four suspects were charged with terrorism following the attacks on Thinadhoo Police Station on 8 February 2012 between 4:30 pm and 8:30 pm. They are accused of causing damage to the police building and property, and also forcibly entering Gaaf Dhaalu Atoll Council Office on the same day.

All four suspects are charged with reference to Article 2 (f) and (g), under Article 6 (b) of the Act on Prevention of Terrorism.

Article 6 (b) states that any persons found guilty of an act of terrorism, without a loss of life, shall be sentenced to between 10 and 15 years imprisonment or banishment.

As the suspects are minors, they will be given a more lenient sentence. The regulation on sentencing minors states that minors shall be given one-third of the most lenient penalty for the crime prescribed in the law.

The State has also charged 89 people with terrorism following the violence in Thinadhoo on 8 February. The suspects include Councillors and civil servants.