Corrections’ speedboat breaking prompts cancellation of hearing in Naeema's murder trial

Two hearings slated for Thursday morning in the trial of the murder of a middle-aged woman found killed in her home in N. Manadhoo in April 2023 have been canceled.

Naeema Moosa, 62, was found stabbed to death in her bedroom at around 06:30 pm April 7, 2023.

Three people have been pressed with three charges in connection to the case:

• Hassan Favaz, 21
• Abdul Wahid Rifas, 21
• Ahzam Abdul Shukoor, 23

The three charges are murder with intention, abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice.

It was Rifas and Favaz’s hearings scheduled for 9:00am and 11:00am Thursday morning respectively.

Criminal Court said both hearings have been canceled as the transportation of the suspects has been obstructed as a result of Maldives Correctional Service’s speedboat breaking down.

Employed as a street sweeper by the local council, Naeema had lived alone in her home. She was last seen on April 5, 2023, and was reported missing by her family on April 7, 2023. The police had to break open her bedroom door, and found her lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood.

Both the main suspect Ahzam – who confessed to killing Naeema during interrogation – and Fawaz, are jailed pending the outcome of trial.

Sun has learned that the suspect, who confessed to the crime, confessed many details of the murder to investigating officers. Such information includes the fact that the assailants had been wearing hazmat suits at the time they committed the crime; the location where they hid the weapons and their clothes and the fact they traveled in a car that day.

Police, based on this information, found the location where they burned and buried the clothes including other important evidence. They had also seized the car used by them.

However, the Prosecutor General’s Office has previously remarked the investigations have not uncovered the exact motive behind Naeema’s murder.