Ziyadham’s murder: Shanoon gets death penalty, Sifam sentenced to life

Criminal Court, on Monday, sentenced Mohamed Shanoon, Heena Villa, L. Mundoo, who was found guilty in the 2015 murder of a man from L. Mundoo, to death.

Ali Ziyadham, Noovilu, L. Mundoo, was fatally stabbed on a street in Mundoo at around 10:30 pm on March 20, 2015.

Two suspects were charged with his murder;

• Mohamed Shanoon, Heena Villa, L. Mundoo
• Ali Sifam, Beach Villa, L. Mundoo

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

Criminal Court found Shanoon guilty of the crime on December 18th. However, the presiding judge said that there was insufficient evidence to fund Sifam guilty.

Article 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code states that if there is insufficient evidence to deem an individual guilty of the crime he or she is charged with, but ticks the required elements of another crime, he or she can be found guilty of the latter.

Based on the evidence submitted – it was concluded that Sifam was guilty of being an accomplice to Ziyadham’s murder.

Case Background

Witness testimonies indicate that Ziyadham, Shanoon and Sifam were friends – and the incident took place when all three of them were consuming alcohol together.

The conflict between them arose when Ziyadham made a remark regarding Sifam’s younger sibling. A witness said that when Sifam and Ziyadham were engaged in a physical altercation following arguments – Shanoon had incepted between them and stabbed Ziyadham.

Upon being stabbed – Ziyadham ran inside the kitchen of Vagutheegiyaage, a home in Mundoo. Some witnesses said that Shanoon entered the kitchen and further stabbed Ziyadham, who was assisted by Sifam.