Murrath and Hana being led away after Criminal Court sentenced them to death for lawyer Najeeb's murder. PHOTO/ IBRAHIM FAID
Criminal Court today convicted and sentenced both Murrath and Hana to death for the brutal stabbing murder of prominent lawyer Ahmed Najeeb.
State had charged Ahmed Murrath, 29 o Maafannu Masroora and his girlfriend Fathimath Hana, 18 of Shaviyani Atoll Goidhoo Rihaab with murder in the first degree.
Both suspects had confessed to the crime and revealed details of the murder in court.
While delivering the verdict, Judge Ahmed Sameer Abdul Sameer pointed out that both suspects had confessed to the murder in court, which is in accordance with the confession stipulated under Article 52 of the Constitution.
All eight heirs of Najeeb had asked the Judge for the death penalty while one had urged a public execution.
The charges filed by the State detailed that Najeeb had been invited to Masroora by the suspects on the night of June 30. Upon his arrival, the victim had been led to a chair at knife point, bound and gagged with duct tape, charges stated. State had also said that Najeeb had been stabbed in the neck after he had tried to scream.
Both suspects in their confessions had admitted that Najeeb had been invited to their home and had been murdered in rage after the lawyer had tried to establish a “relationship” with Hana. While Murrath had confessed to the murder charges, Hana had only admitted to being accessory to the murder. She had insisted that her only involvement in the crime was to tie the victim to a chair with duct tape.
However, Murrath in his confession had said that Hana had no involvement in the crime or tying Najeeb to the chair.
The male suspect had also revealed that before the murder, Najeeb had been forced to give up his cash card and pin number and had used the card to withdraw MVR4,000 on two separate occasions. The money was used to buy drugs, cigarettes and a large garbage can, in which Najeeb’s body was later discovered, according to Murrath’s confession.
Najeeb’s body was discovered on the night of July 1, in a room in the first floor of Masroora. His body had been dumped in a large garbage can inside the room, which the police claimed in court was occupied by the unmarried Hana and Murrath.
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