Motorcyclist who fled after fatal crash apologizes to victim's family

The driver of a motorcycle who fled after a fatal crash in Male’ City last May has apologized to the victim’s family.

The accident took place when a motorcycle crashed into a hand cart parked on the side of Huvafenee Goalhi at approximately 10:00 pm on May 26. Ismail Yazdhan, 21, who was on the backseat of the motorcycle, sustained critical injuries in the crash and died shortly after he was taken to the hospital.

Police arrested the driver, Ahmed Athif Abdulla, 26, Athireege, Lh. Naifaru, for fleeing the scene after the crash on May 31.

When presented before the Criminal Court for his first remand hearing on June 1, Athif denied the allegation. He said that Yazdhan was his friend, and that he did not flee the scene.

The court remanded him to custody of police for 10 days.

His remand was extended by 15 days last Saturday.

At Saturday’s remand hearing, the investigative officer assigned to the case said Athif had apologized to Yazdhan’s family.

The investigative officer said that Athif had been speeding when he crashed the motorcycle. He said that CCTV footage confirm Athif had been speeding, but that the police have yet to finish analyzing the footage.

Meanwhile, Athif’s lawyer told the court that Yazdhan’s family itself does not believe Athif to be liable for “that much negligence” in his death.

He also said that Athif does not have a record for “that type of crime”, and has a three-month child.

Though the lawyer said Athif does not have a prior record for “that type of crime”, the court order shows he does have a criminal record – the specifics of which have not been disclosed.

The crash is under investigation by the police as a homicide case. Though the specific allegation against Athif is unclear from the court order, it does show the allegation is a major felony. The court order says one of the allegations against him is under Section 110 of the Penal Code – the section dedicated to homicide - and that the crime he has been accused of carries a prison sentence of over 10 years.