2 sentenced to prison over black oil attack on MDP activist
Police later arrested Ahmed Raihan Naeem of M. Khorasge and Ahmed Rishmah of Sunlightvilla, GA. Dhaandhoo, in connection with the incident.
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The Criminal Court has sentenced two men to prison after they admitted involvement in an attack in which black oil was thrown at opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activist Mariyam Zubair, known as Mandhee.
The incident occurred in March last year while Mariyam was walking along a street with other MDP activists. Two men travelling on a motorcycle approached the group and black oil was thrown at them.
Police later arrested Ahmed Raihan Naeem of M. Khorasge and Ahmed Rishmah of Sunlightvilla, GA. Dhaandhoo, in connection with the incident.
Raihan, who was accused of throwing the oil, was charged with assault, or unlawful physical contact, and damage to property. Rishmah was charged with aiding and abetting assault and aiding and abetting damage to property.
According to judgments published by the Criminal Court on Wednesday, both defendants initially sought to enter into caution agreements with the state. The prosecution declined to enter into such agreements, after which both men pleaded guilty to all charges.
The court found the charges proven beyond reasonable doubt and handed down the sentences last month.
The baseline sentence for each offence was one month and six days in prison. The sentences were reduced following the defendants' guilty pleas.
Raihan was sentenced to a total of 40 days in prison, comprising 27 days for assault and 13 days for damage to property.
Rishmah's baseline sentence was increased due to his previous criminal record. After reductions for his guilty plea and credit for time spent in pre-trial detention, he was sentenced to 38 days in prison.
His sentence comprises 20 days for aiding and abetting damage to property and 18 days for aiding and abetting assault.
The attack occurred after Mariyam made a public claim that President Mohamed Muizzu's decision to ban vaping in the Maldives followed an incident involving one of his children and a vape product. The claim was not established as a motive for the attack.
