Men imprisoned for Yameen Rasheed’s murder appeal conviction

The two men found guilty of the brutal murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed have appealed their convictions with the High Court.

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

Six suspects were put 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).

The Criminal Court found Haisham and Zihan guilty of murder back in January.

They were issued life sentences and ordered to pay MVR 1.3 million as diya (financial compensation).

The remaining four defendants were acquitted.

Both Haisham and Zihan have appealed their convictions with the High Court.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutor General’s Office also recently appealed the acquittal of two of the suspects with the High Court; Dhifran and Ismail Rasheed.

Haisham and Zihan were found guilty of active involvement in the murder. Investigators uncovered that It had been Ziyad who had originally been supposed to carry out the murder with Haisham, but that Ziyad was replaced by Zihan after he sustained a leg injury.

Ismail Rasheed was accused of transporting them to Yameen’s residence and waiting for them outside as they did the killing, while Shifaz and Dhifran had tracked Yameen’s movements.

Medical records presented during the trial showed Yameen sustained 30 stab wounds.