Ahmed Muaz (Gut Mua), detained for years pending trial over the alleged 2014 disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and the 2017 murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed, is appealing to the High Court for MVR 4,951,195.25 in compensation.
The appeal follows the Criminal Court’s 2023 dismissal of terrorism conspiracy charges due to insufficient evidence.
Muaz, along with Ismail Abdul Raheem (Isu) and Ahmed Ismail (Ahandhu), faced charges stemming from investigations by the Presidential Commission on Deaths and Enforced Disappearances (DDCom). All three were arrested in June 2022, with Muaz held in custody until the case concluded. The charges alleged their involvement in Rilwan’s abduction and Rasheed’s brutal stabbing.
In 2023, the Criminal Court dropped the charges, citing a lack of prosecutable evidence.
Muaz subsequently filed a civil suit in the Civil Court, seeking damages for wrongful detention. His lawyer argued the DDCom’s investigation was flawed, leading to his prolonged incarceration. The compensation demand includes MVR 4,451,195.25 for imprisonment and MVR 500,000 as a disciplinary penalty against the Prosecutor General’s Office, the DDCom, and commissioners Fareesha Abdulla, Misbah Abbas, and Ahmed Nashid.
In response, the state contested the Civil Court’s jurisdiction, asserting the case requires a formal retraction of the charge sheet, supported by higher court precedents.
The Civil Court dismissed Muaz’s initial claim, prompting his appeal to the High Court.
A three-judge panel is set to hear the case at High Court on Monday.
