Ziyadham murder: Shanoon gets death penalty; Sifam sentenced to life
While Ziyadham's battered body was being taken to the island's health centre, the accused men attacked him again.
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Criminal Court on Monday sentenced Mohamed Shanoon, accused in the murder case of Ali Ziyadham, to death and co-accused Ali Sifam to life in prison.
In December, the Criminal Court had found the two guilty in the case, which has been tried by different judges at different stages. While Shanoon was found guilty of murdering Ziyadham, Sifam was found guilty of involvement in the murder.
Judge Ismail Shafiu said that nine of Ziyadham's blood relations who are alive testified before the court that they wanted death penalty under Islamic Shari'a law.
On the basis of the testimony of Ziyadam's family, the judge ruled that Shanoon should be executed.
While sentencing Sifam, the judge noted:
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The punishment prescribed in law for the offence is between 15 and 25 years in jail
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Sifam was convicted at the highest degree
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Therefore, the maximum sentence for the offence was awarded
Seven years ago, on March 20, 2015, in the incident, in L. Mundoo, while walking near the island’s makeshift shelter, Ziyadham was stabbed in the head, thighs and chest. With these injuries, he was found lying in the house of one of his brother in laws. He was taken to Mundoo health centre for treatment, where Ziyadham succumbed to his injuries.
A heated argument ensued between Shanoon, Sifam and Ziyadham before he was attacked. The state told the court:
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It was a clash over a case of distribution of alcohol
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On the way to the Health Centre, these men attacked Ziyadham again
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Also threatened Ziyadham's father not to take any action on the case
Although the duo had denied the murder of Ziyadham at the trial, the judge ruled during the hearing in December that the evidence presented by the prosecution proved that Shanoon had carried out the attack and that Sifam was involved in it.
