High Court ordered to hear appeal of convicts in 2018 murder of teen

Supreme Court has ordered the High Court to hear the appeal filed by the four men convicted of the murder of a teenage boy in Male’ City in 2018.

Ismail Shaffan Shareef, 14, Heenaamaage, S. Feydhoo, was stabbed to death on October 11, 2018.

Four men were found guilty of his murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Criminal Court on November 28, 2021.

They are:

• Mohamed Aiman Habeeb, Mala, S. Hithadhoo
• Hassan Nabah, Moonlight Glory, S. Maradhoo
• Hussain Nihad Ahmed, Chaman, S. Hithadhoo
• Hussain Jailam, M. Tomato Flower, K. Male’

Nihad and Jailam were convicted of murder with intent using a sharp-edged weapon, while Aiman and Nabah were convicted as accomplices.

They had appealed their convictions with the High Court, which, last June, rejected the petition, citing window for appeal had lapsed, and the appellants had failed to provide a credible reason for the lapse.

They appealed the decision with the Supreme Court, which last Thursday, ordered the High Court to accept the appeal, citing it had taken a lot of time for the appellants to receive the necessary paperwork from the Criminal Court.

The four men were instructed to re-submit the appeal with the High Court within 10 days.

Shaffan was attacked outside his residence, G. Rosyge, in Sabdheyriya Magu in Male’, at approximately 02:00 am on October 11, 2018.

He was already dead when taken to the hospital.

Police have stated that Shaffan’s murder was retaliation stemming from serial fights between two gangs.