May 6 blast hearing cancelled after bad weather delays defendants’ transport to court

The hearing scheduled at the Criminal Court in the trial of the men charged for the IED attack targeting Parliament Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed last year was cancelled on Monday, after authorities failed to present the men to the court in time. 

The hearing had been scheduled to begin at 09:00 am. 

Criminal Court’s spokesperson told Sun that the hearing was cancelled due to failure to present the defendants to court in time. 

Maldives Correctional Service informed the court that the delay took place due to bad weather, said the spokesperson. 

The spokesperson said that the cancelled hearing would be rescheduled as soon as possible, and that the curt was trying to schedule the hearing for Saturday. 

A homemade remote-controlled IED was strapped to motorcycle parked nearby Nasheed’s residence, and was detonated at 08:27 pm on May 6, 2021, just as Nasheed exited his residence and went to get in his car. Nasheed was thrown to the ground and sustained multiple shrapnel wounds, while three members of his security detail and two bystanders sustained minor wounds.

Of the 11 suspects were charged in connection to the attack, only one,  Adhuham Ahmed Rasheed,who confessed to detonating the IED, was convicted. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison in December last year after he signed a plea deal with the state.

The remaining ten defendants are:

• Mujaz Ahmed, Ma. Feyruge, K. Male’
• Thahmeen Ahmed, Folheyma, GA. Kondey 
• Ali Haisham, Nooreege, N. Manadhoo
• Is’haq, M. Kudhehige, K. Male’
• Fahumy Ali, Hudhuruvaage, GA. Vilingili
• Mohamed Nazim, Asareege, AA. Maalhos
• Abdulla Ali Manik, Bahaaruge, HA. Molhadhoo
• Mohamed Thasleem, Alanaasige, HA. Hoarafushi
• Hassan Yaseen, Dhafthar 6231
• Mohamed Zoomal Zareer, Hulhumale' 56-3-07

An additional suspect arrested in the case – Ahmed Fathih, Dunfiniufaa, L. Gan – was released due to insufficient evidence.