Serial gang violence: 8 armed men released for lacking evidence
"The only submissions were intelligence reports based on inputs received by the police," the orders said.
Criminal Court on Sunday released eight of those arrested with weapons in connection with a series of recent gang violence in the city.
Their release comes after police commissioner Mohamed Hameed said on Saturday that a total of 16 people had been arrested in the past two months in connection with the violence and the recent vandalism of a cafe in Hulhumale.
Eight of the accused in these cases were released by the trial court on Saturday after they were taken to court for extension of their judicial custody after 15 days in judicial custody.
According to the orders:
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They were initially detained for 15 days for some amount of evidence
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However, as that deadline passed, no further evidence was produced to link them to the alleged offence
"The only submissions were intelligence reports based on inputs received by the police," the orders said.
"Though knives were recovered from the apartment where the accused was staying, the discovery of such items in an apartment does not preclude the fact that they are used for violence without further evidence. While photographs of the victims have been clicked, there is no evidence to suggest that he was involved in attacks."
The 30-year-old Maldivian man, who was last stabbed on Friday night and injured in the series of stabbings in the capital, is on ventilator support. He was attacked at around 10 pm at the 'Krasa' shop selling cosmetics in Maafannu Muranga Magu by two men wearing helmets, locals told Atoll Times.
Last month, a man was stabbed to death near Charcoal Cafe on Lonuziyaarai Magu, while in the middle of this month, a man was stabbed near Villimale ferry terminal.
