Court accepts Shahil’s statement on Shiau’s murder
In a ruling, the court decided to accept Shahil’s statement, despite his objection.
Criminal Court on Wednesday decided to accept the statement of Ali Shahil, the accused, over the murder of Shiau Mohamed Saeed.
Shiau, a 22-year-old woman, was discovered murdered inside an apartment on the ninth floor of Sheerinvilla on August 6, 2022. Shahil, 23, who was Shiau’s friend and who was living in the apartment, was arrested at the crime scene that same night.
Shahil, 28, from Finifenmaage, F. Nilandhoo, faces serious charges, including the brutal killing of Shiau. Authorities allege that Shahil used a sharp object to kill Shiau and severed her head, arms, and legs. The specific charges against Shahil are as follows:
- Intentional killing with a sharp object
- Possession of a nudity card
- Use of cannabis
- Two confidential charges
The violent nature of the crime, especially the mutilation of the victim’s body, has shocked the community and attracted widespread attention.
The preliminary phase of the case, which has been held confidentially, has now concluded. The Criminal Court confirmed that the prosecution intends to present the testimony of nine witnesses, all of which will be heard privately to protect the confidentiality of the case.
In a ruling, the court decided to accept Shahil’s statement, despite his objection. Shahil had moved to prevent his own statement from being admitted into evidence, but the court overruled his request.
Following Shiau’s death, her body was sent to India for a post-mortem examination.
At an earlier press conference, former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem confirmed that Shahil had not pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. Despite the overwhelming evidence, including his arrest at the crime scene, Shahil did not cooperate.
The case has experienced delays due to Shahil’s extended silence. For a long period, Shahil refused to speak, leading to significant postponements in the trial. Initially, the prosecution arranged several attorneys to represent Shahil, but he ultimately chose to represent himself, further complicating the legal proceedings.
