Supreme Court supports Humam’s death sentence

Supreme Court has passed a verdict against Hussain Humam who was given the death sentence by the Criminal Court for the murder of the former MP for Ungoofaaru constituency, Dr. Afrasheem Ali.

In the verdict by the Supreme Court at 2:20 a.m. last night, the Court said that all the Judges on the bench unanimously agree that the sentence passed by the Criminal Court and supported by the High Court is a valid ruling.

Chief Judge, Abdulla Saeed delivered the verdict saying that although Humam denied the accusation against him in this first hearing at the Criminal Court, he later confessed to the crime in court, in front of the Judge. The Judge said that a confession by Humam on his own volition is believed to be a valid confession. And he said that there is no room to doubt that the confession was not valid.

The verdict said that the case summary from the Criminal Court shows that Humam had legal counsel and was not given a chance to produce defense witnesses after he rejected the first offer to produce witnesses and that the evidence provided by the state gives further strength to the case against Humam.

The Supreme Court verdict said that Humam is found guilty in the charge of murder without reasonable doubt with all conditions for the death penalty.

It also said that the fact that Humam did not appeal the High Court’s support for the death sentence at the Supreme Court proves that he believes the sentence is just.

The verdict further said that the next of kin of Dr. Afrasheem has declared at the Criminal Court that they want the death sentence. And although there are those who are underage among the kin, the ruling can be made according to the scholars of the schools of Islam if those who are of age among the kin wants the death penalty.

While the Supreme Court has ruled for the death penalty for the first time in Maldivian history, the kin of Dr. Afrasheem has said that they do not want the death penalty on Human yet. In a letter from the family sent to the Supreme Court signed by the former MP’s father, Ali Zafir and the brother, Abdul Naasir Ali said that they don’t want the death sentence because the investigation of the crime has not been completed.

The letter was rejected by the Supreme Court saying that the letter can only be submitted at the official working hours.

Before his resignation from his position as the Home Minister, Umar Naseer said that a regulation has been established to carry out the death sentence by hanging. And according to it, he said that the sentence must be carried out within 30 days after the Supreme Court delivers the sentence. But the said regulation has not yet been published in the state gazette.

The Supreme Court Judges who presided over the case are the Chief Judge Abdulla Saeed, Judge Ali Hameed, Judge Abdulla Areef, Judge Adam Mohamed and Judge Ahmed Abdulla.

Dr. Afrasheem was murdered between 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. on the night of 1 October 2012 as he was entering his residence after returning from a religious program at TVM.

The lower court sentenced Humam on the death penalty on 16 January 2015 and was supported by the High Court on 7 September 2015.