Rapper Pest acquitted of drug charges

The Criminal Court has acquitted Maldivian rapper Ismail Ifham Mohamed (Pest) of drug trafficking charges.

The court issued its ruling in the case on Thursday afternoon.

Pest was one of five suspects arrested by police with 2.5 kilos of drugs in an operation by the Drug Enforcement Department (DED) on February 13, 2021.

He was pressed with five charges; trafficking cannabis, using cannabis, trafficking diamorphine (heroin), trafficking a Schedule 1 drug, and use, possession and concealment of assets and money obtained through criminal means.

In addition to Pest, the court also acquitted three other people charged in the case; Mohamed Suaid, Ahmed Husam (Jahulu), and Ahmed Shamoon.

Pest, who rose to fame with the rap song “Reethi Kudhin” back in 2011, had faced life in prison if he had been found guilty of the charges.

He is one of Symbolic Records’ top artists, and is often referred to as the “King of Rap” in Maldives.