Supreme Court upholds death sentence in 2010 Fuvahmulah murder case

The Supreme Court on Sunday unanimously upheld the death sentence imposed on Hassan Fareed of Karankaaage, Fuvahmulah, for the murder of Abdulla Shuhaad of Meko, Fuvahmulah, during a confrontation between two groups in January 2010.

Fareed was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court in 2015. The High Court upheld the conviction and sentence in 2017, following which Fareed appealed to the Supreme Court.

Fareed represented himself during the Supreme Court proceedings without legal counsel.

During the final stages of the appeal, he raised allegations of police mistreatment and irregularities in the investigation.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court found that the evidence presented during the trial was sufficient to establish Fareed's responsibility for the fatal attack.

The court noted that testimony from seven witnesses placed Fareed at the scene when Shuhaad was attacked.

It also found that none of the witnesses had testified that another person, rather than Fareed, had carried out the attack.

According to the court, the medico-legal report established that Shuhaad had sustained a stab wound to the right side of his chest, near his armpit. The injury penetrated the chest and damaged his right lung and diaphragm.

The Supreme Court concluded that the use of a sharp weapon to inflict injuries on a part of the body where an attack could cause death, together with the severity of Shuhaad's injuries, supported the finding that Fareed had intended to kill him.

The five-member bench unanimously upheld the lower court's decision.

The bench was presided over by Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed and comprised Justices Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Ali Rasheed Hussain, Hussain Shaheed and Mohamed Saleem.

During the proceedings, the Supreme Court also sought the views of Shuhaad's legal heirs.

The heirs maintained their request for qisas, or retribution in kind, seeking the implementation of the death penalty as they had done before the lower court.

The ruling brings the Supreme Court appeal against Fareed's murder conviction and death sentence to a close.