Zahid Rameez to be subpoenaed for Yameen Rasheed murder trial

The Criminal Court has made the decision to issue a subpoena to compel former PPM councilmember Zahid Rameez to testify as a witness for the defense in the in the ongoing murder trial of slain blogger Yameen Rasheed.

Zahid was called as a witness by suspect Ismail Haisham Rasheed (H. Annaarumaage, Male’ City).

Haisham has originally called on 11 witnesses, but during the hearing this Sunday, asked to exclude seven of the witnesses.

Haisham’s attorney, Maumoon Hameed said that the defense had called on the seven witnesses in question to counter the witnesses which the State prosecution had announced it will call on, but wished to exclude the seven witnesses since the State prosecution had not called on many of the witnesses it had originally announced plans to call on.

He said that his client wished to call on only four witnesses.

PEOPLE WHO THREATENED YAMEEN CALLED AS WITNESSES FOR THE DEFENSE

Attorney Maumoon Hameed noted that all four people which he wished to call on as witnesses for the defense were people who had threated Yameen Rasheed prior to his murder. One of them is former PPM council member Zahid Rameez.

Judge Ali Rasheed Hussain announced that he will issue a subpoena to compel Zahid Rameez to attend the trial to testify for the defense.

In response, Maumoon Hameed said that the defense was not privy to the current addresses of the remaining witnesses, but that the police may be privy to the information. He asked that the court compel the police to provide the information to the defense.

He also said that the witnesses were unlikely to offer their testimony, and asked that the court treat them as hostile witnesses and issue subpoenas to compel all the witnesses to testify.

When asked about the State prosecution’s regarding the defense’s suggestion, the public prosecutor said that the witnesses for the defense was within the purview of the defense, and that the State could not do anything to assist in the matter.

The Judge noted that the lack of information on the other three witnesses presented a challenge, but did not make any decision regarding the issue during this Sunday’s hearing.

Yameen Rasheed was stabbed to death in the stairwell of his residence on April 23, 2017.

Five men are on trial for his murder; Haisham, Ahmed Zihan Ismail (M.Iraasmikge, Male’ City), Mohamed Dhifran (Simbadge, G. Dh. Gadhdhoo), Hassan Shifaz (M. Kudhehige, Male’ City), Ismail Rasheed (M. Thaaif, Male’ City), and Hussain Ziyad (M. Kolhufushi East, Male’ City).