Suspects stabbed two other people before murdering Muheeth: Police

A police officer involved in the investigation of the murder of Abdul Muheeth of G. Veyru has said that the suspects stabbed two other people, and tried to stab one more person on the same night before they murdered Muheeth.

Muheeth was stabbed to death on Sunday, 19 February 2012 at around 1:05am while he was sitting on a motorcycle in a blind alley near the Ministry of Finance.

The State has charged Muhjath Ahmed Nasih of Ablaeege, Gaafu Dhaalu Gadhdhoo, Ali Mushaffau of Sultan Villa, Seenu Maradhoo, and Mohamed Maimoon of Zaithoonige, Lhaviyani Naifaru, with murder following this crime.

Providing a statement in court today, the police officer said that Muhjath stabbed a foreign national on the night of 19 February, before stabbing Muheeth.

The officer said that on the same night, they attacked another person near Bandaara Koshi, and also tried to attack Mohamed Abbas of Atholhuthereyge, Gaafu Dhaalu Gadhdhoo, while he was near Nalahiya Hotel. The officer said that Abbas escaped the attack by running into a nearby house.

Two police officers provided statements in court today regarding the investigation.

One officer said that recordings of phone calls between the suspects had revealed how they attacked Muheeth, and how they travelled that night.

The phone calls were between Muhjath, Maimoon and two minors who have been sentenced to death by the Juvenile Court, said the officer.

He said that even though the recordings did not include any conversation involving Ali Mushaffau, the conversations revealed that Mushaffau stabbed Muheeth on the back.

He said that the recordings also revealed that Muheeth’s brother removed the knife from Muheeth’s back and threw it on the ground after the suspects left the scene.

The officer said that Maimoon’s phone number was obtained through Police Intelligence, while Muhjath’s phone number was obtained from him parents.

He said that a search conducted on Muhjath’s residence M. Basheereehiyaa under a court warrant revealed a receipt from ADK Hospital, which showed that he consulted a doctor at ADK Hospital on the night of the murder. CCTV footage of ADK Hospital showed that the suspects were at the hospital that night, said the officer.

At an earlier session of the trial, Mushaffau’s sister said in court that Mushaffau did not leave the house on the night of Muheeth’s murder.

The State requested the court today to make arrangements to listen to the phone call recordings and watch the CCTV footage at the next session.

Adjourning the trial today, the judge said that the next session will be held later this month.