SC orders delay in executing sentence on Colonel Nazim

Supreme Court of the Maldives has ordered to delay the execution of the 11-year prison sentence passed against the former Defence Minister, Colonel-retired Mohamed Nazim.  

The former Defence Minister was charged with possession of a firearm by the Criminal Court and the ruling was appealed at the Supreme Court. However, the appeal was rejected and was filed again for further consideration.  

The High Court initially ruled that the Criminal Court decision will stand.  

The temporary stay issued by the Supreme Court said that the execution of the sentence passed by the Criminal Court must be delayed effect immediately until the Supreme Court makes a decision.  

Colonel-retired Mohamed Nazim was sentenced after a firearm was found during a search conducted at his apartment by the Maldives Police Service. After the Criminal Court sentencing, Police said that the fingerprints of the former Vice President, Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Gafoor was found on the weapon.