President Solih commutes sentence of another individual convicted of murder

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has commuted the sentence of a person sentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder to home confinement.

The individual in question was serving the prison sentence with respect to the murder of 14-year-old Ahmed Irusham, Ranfaru, K. Kaashidhoo on the evening June 3^rd, 2016, during a gang fight.

At the time of the murder, the person was a minor. Therewith, their identity was concealed.

Sun, through reliable sources, can confirm the president’s decision to commute the prison sentence to home confinement.

The gang fight took place on the evening of June 3^rd, 2016, behind a pickup parked at Maajeedhee Magu, near M. Madhange. Irusham died while being treated at IGMH as a result of the injuries he sustained during the fight.

Three minors were charged with intentional murder using a sharp-edged weapon in connection to the case. They were 14, 15, and 17 at that time.

While President Solih’s term is set to expire in less than 48 hours – he has, on Tuesday, commuted the sentence of the minor convicted of the murder of Mohamed Anas – a young man from R. Meedhoo who was stabbed to death inside the Litus Service Center in Male’ in 2017.

The minor was acquitted by the Juvenile Court in January 2021, but the verdict was overturned upon appeal by the High Court in October 2022.

The court sentenced him to 18 years in prison.

President Solih reportedly used his executive powers to commute his sentence to 10 years in prison.

On Monday, he pardoned former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor and former Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Managing Director Abdulla Ziyath – both of whom had been convicted in connection to the MMPRC graft scandal.

The outgoing president has been criticized by the public and political opponents over these decisions.