Court hears financial evidence in Nasheed assassination trial
Six individuals are facing charges related to the attack, which involved the detonation of an IED mounted on a motorcycle.
In the ongoing trial regarding the May 6, 2021, assassination attempt on former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, a police officer involved in the investigation on Tuesday detailed financial transactions allegedly made between the accused.
Six individuals are facing charges related to the attack, which involved the detonation of an IED mounted on a motorcycle.
The six individuals currently on trial are:
-
1-
Thahmeen Ahmed (Folheymaage / G. Kondey): Charged with participating in an act of terrorism, aiding the transportation of explosives, and supporting a terrorist group.
-
2-
Mujaz Ahmed (Ma. Feyruge / K. Male’): Charged with conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism and aiding the escape of a criminal. Mujaz is accused of attempting to flee after detonating the explosive.
-
3-
Ali Haisham (Noorige / N. Manadhoo): Charged with conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism, aiding in transporting explosives, and participating in an act of terrorism.
-
4-
Ishaaq (Ma. Kudhehige / K. Male’): Charged with transporting explosives, conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism, and participating in an act of terrorism. Ishaaq allegedly spied on Nasheed prior to the attack.
-
5-
Fahumee Ali (Hudhruvage / Ga. Villingili): Charged with participating in an act of terrorism. Fahumee is accused of being present during the planting of the bomb.
-
6-
Mohamed Nazim (Asareege / AA. Maalhos): Charged with conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism. He is accused of providing the remote control used to detonate the bomb.
Additionally, Adhuham Ahmed Rasheed, who confessed to planting and detonating the bomb, has already signed a plea deal with the state and received a 23-year prison sentence.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the investigating officer presented evidence of money transfers between several defendants, shedding light on their alleged coordination. According to the testimony:
-
Frequent Transactions: The officer identified financial exchanges between Ishaaq, Thahmeen, Nazim, and Mujaz, with seven communications between Ishaaq and Nazim alone in 2021.
-
Amounts Transferred: Transactions ranged from MVR 100 to MVR 200.
The officer highlighted a chain of transactions related to repairing the motorcycle used in the attack:
-
On March 17, 2021, at 6:31pm, MVR 180 was transferred from Ishaaq's account to Thahmeen's account.
-
At 7:34pm, the same amount was sent from Thahmeen’s account to Nazim’s account.
-
Shortly afterward, Nazim transferred MVR 180 to a foreigner who repaired the cycle.
-
The repair payment was made at Thahmeen’s request.
The testimony established that these transactions were deliberate and directly linked to preparations for the attack.
Prosecutors argue that the accused individuals played distinct roles in planning and executing the attack. For example, Ishaaq allegedly tracked Nasheed’s movements, while Nazim provided the remote control used to detonate the explosive. The transactions further suggest financial coordination between the defendants to facilitate the attack.
The assassination attempt shocked the nation, leaving former President Nasheed critically injured. He survived after undergoing multiple surgeries. The attack, widely condemned both domestically and internationally, has been linked to extremist groups.
