Adhuham sentenced to death for Qasim’s murder

Adhuham Mohamed, convicted of killing taxi driver Qasim Hassan in a knife attack in suburban Hulhumale’ in 2019, has been sentenced to death.

Qasim, 59, was found stabbed in an isolated street near the halfway house in Hulhumale’ on December 4, 2019. He died shortly after he was taken to the hospital. Adhuham, then-21, Boduhiyaage, Lh. Hinnavaru, was arrested two weeks later, on December 19, 2019.

Adhuham was found guilty of murder with intent on March 19. The Criminal Court took testimony from Gasim’s heirs – all of whom said they wanted the death penalty - and issued its sentence Sunday morning.

The court sentenced him to death in according to the wishes of his heirs.

Adhuham had initially signed a plea deal with the prosecution, under which he confessed to killing Qasim and gave a detailed account of what happened.

However, he later claimed he was tortured by the police and that the confession was extracted under duress.

Adhuham later confessed for a second time at court, but denied the murder was intentional. He said he had been on drugs and hadn’t meant to kill Gasim.

However, Judge Ali Nadheem ruled that Adhuham’s actions prior to and after the murder shows he wasn’t unaware of the consequences of his actions when he committed the crime.

The court found him guilty beyond reasonable doubt.