Man involved in hit-and-run that injured MNU lecturer sentenced to two years in jail

The Criminal Court sentenced a young man to two years in prison on Monday, after founding him guilty of involvement in a hit-and-run that resulted in serious injuries to a lecturer from the Maldives National university (MNU).

Ali Hafeez was hit by a speeding motorcycle as he crossed the road after performing the Fajr prayer in a mosque near the Heenaamaage Parking Zone on June 28.

The 50-year-old had been crossing the road from the crosswalk when the accident took place.

The motorist, later identified in court documents as Shammaan Abdul Shakoor, 22, left his bike on the road, and fled the scene on foot.

The police arrested him on July 3.

The Criminal Court initially extended his remand by 15 days, but was granted conditional release on August 2.

Shamman, who did not possess a driver’s license, was charged with causing a grievous injury.

Shamman told the court that he hadn’t intended to harm anyone, but pled guilty to the charge under a plea deal with the prosecution.

The Criminal Court sentenced him to two years in prison on Monday. He has one year, 10 months and 29 days left in his sentence, after the court considered the time he has already spent in jail in the case as time served.

Hafeez sustained serious head injuries in the accident.

He was initially treated at the ADK Hospital’s ICU, before he was transferred to Aster Medcity in India’s Kochi on July 4.