Sentencing in Yameen Rasheed’s murder trial scheduled for Wednesday

Criminal Court is scheduled to issue its ruling in the murder trial of slain blogger Yameen Rasheed on Wednesday. 

The sentencing hearing will begin at the court at 10:00 am on Wednesday. 

Yameen Rasheed was stabbed to death in the stairwell of his residence in Male’ City, M. Spatula, on April 23, 2017. 

Five men are on trial for his murder; Ismail Haisham Rasheed (H. Annaarumaage, Male’ City), 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). 

They were charged with murder with intent using a sharp-edged weapon. 

The court had originally been scheduled to issue its sentencing in December last year, but the sentencing was postponed at the request of Yameen Rasheed’s family, as one of his family members had been ill and unable to attend the hearing at the time. 

Yameen Rasheed’s family had attended all hearings at the court. One of his family members had wept as state’s witnesses detailed the brutal murder, forcing the judge to call a small adjournment. 

Zihan and Haisham are accused of active involvement in the murder, while Ismail Rasheed had waited outside the residence. 

Medical records submitted at court show Yameen Rasheed sustained 30 stab wounds.