Shanoon, Sifam found guilty of Ziyadham’s murder

Criminal Court, on Sunday, found the two suspects charged in the case of a man from L. Mundoo who was stabbed to death back in 2015 guilty.

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 beyond reasonable doubt. However, the presiding judge said that there was insufficient evidence to find 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.

Statements from the inheritors of Ziyadham will be heard in the next hearing. The judge presiding over the case said that the hearing to discuss the verdict will be scheduled within 10 days.

What happened?

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.