Court releases 'mastermind' in 130kg bust
Shaheeb, Ahmed Moosa and others were arrested on 12 October 2020 while trying to smuggle drugs into Maldives on a fishing vessel.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Criminal Court on Thursday released Shaheeb Ibrahim, who has been detained till the end of his trial over the 130 kilograms of narcotics confiscated from a fishing vessel at Hulhumale harbour in 2020.
Shaheeb, Ahmed Moosa and others were arrested on 12 October 2020 while trying to smuggle drugs into Maldives on a fishing vessel called Jumbo.
Shaheeb, Lighthouse/G.A. Villingili was released from custody at a remand review hearing held in the Criminal Court on Thursday. The hearing was not included in the Criminal Court's schedule.
The court said the hearing was missing from the schedule due to an "administrative error".
"He was released unconditionally," the Criminal Court said in a statement to the media.
The hearing was held after Shaheeb's lawyer requested a review of the custody.
Prosecutor General's office spokesperson Ahmed Shafiu told Atoll Times on Thursday that a decision has not yet been taken on the appeal against the court order to release Shaheeb.
“A decision on the appeal will be made by next Sunday,” he said.
Shaheeb:
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was a coordinator at the housing ministry in the government of former President Abdullah Yameen
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a councillor of the opposition PNC; he was suspended from his post upon his arrest
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contested the last parliamentary elections
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police have also accused him of being involved in drugs seized from an Iranian ship
Shaheeb and the co-accused, Ahmed Moosa, Violetvilla/HA. Hoarafushi was released from custody in April last year. However, the High Court later issued an arrest warrant for the two men.
The charges against the accused, including the two, are pending in the Criminal Court.
