Court denies request to jail Faih pending trial’s end as investigation drags on

The Criminal Court decided against granting a petition to have Ibrahim Faih Nizam – suspected of involvement in the murder of a young man – jailed pending the outcome of his trial, citing the probability of the already months-long investigation dragging on.

Faih, 26, who has been charged with assault with a sharp-edged weapon in connection to serial gang fights that broke out in Male’ City in February, is also a suspect in a murder which took place while he had been on the run.

He was ordered to jail pending the outcome of his trial on May 10.

However, the police said on Wednesday that he was later released and then re-arrested. The police declined to comment on the circumstances of his release or his subsequent re-arrest.

On Tuesday, the Criminal Court ordered him to a custodial jail for 45 days, citing that he poses a threat to the community.

The court found there was sufficient evidence to warrant the suspicion of involvement in the murder, including CCTV footage, intelligence reports, DNA analysis report.

Police had requested, once again, to have Faih jailed pending the outcome of the trial.

However, the judge found it would be unfair to have been detained indefinitely, given that the investigation into the case has already dragged on for eight months, and because of the probability it could last longer.

The judge therefore ordered him to a custodial jail for 45 days, citing the maximum detention period declared under the law unless under exceptional circumstances.

Police had made an announcement seeking the public’s help in finding Faih on February 15, following his suspected involvement in a fight between two rival gangs.

He was on the run when he became one of the suspects in the murder of a young man in shop in Maafannu district.

Mohamed Ahmed Didi (Naushad), 30, Izmeer, S. Hithadhoo, was stabbed inside a shop located near the BG Garage in Maafannu district of Male’ at around 09:30 pm on February 24. He succumbed to his injuries on February 27.

Eye witnesses report two people had been actively involved in the stabbing.

The second suspect, a 20-year-old male, was arrested on February 26. He had been remanded in jail pending the outcome of his trial.

Faih surrendered to the police on March 21.