Court throws out charge against suspect in 2017 murder

Murder charge against Sammah Ahmed Fathuhy, the suspect in the killing of Moosa Ahmed Fathuhy in gang violence in Male’ City, has been thrown out by the Criminal Court, citing the charge was filed after the duration to submit charges had already lapsed.

Moosa died from injuries inflicted on him by Sammah and additional suspects in gang violence in front of Items, a shop located in Maafannu district of Male’, at approximately 11:00 pm on September 23, 2017.

According to the State, Moosa died after Sammah stabbed him with a seven-inch knife.

Sammah was 18 years old at the time. He was charged with intentional homicide using a sharp-edged weapon.

Sammah was arrested on October 9, 2017. He filed a pre-trial motion with the court, stating that the Prosecutor General’s Office had filed the charges against with the court on December 5, 2017, after the window for filing charges had lapsed.

 The Criminal Court made its decision regarding the pre-trial motion on October 8. Judge Hassan Saeed found that the evidence proves the State filed the charge after the 30-day window had lapsed.

He ruled that there is therefore no legal ground to hold the trial, and pushed the charge out of the court.

Sammah, in addition to being charged with homicide, was also charged with the possession of a sharp-edged weapon in a public location without a valid reason.

Three more were charged as accomplices to intentional homicide using a sharp-edged weapon in the case. They are Ahmed Ijad Mohamed, Dhebudhaaruge, M. Dhiggaru; Mohamed Riyaz, Kaneerumaage, N. Lhohi; and Ali Hassan, Mududhaasge, S. Hithadhoo.