Malé, Maldives – The Criminal Court of Maldives, today, sentenced the arsonist responsible for the RaajjeTV fire to 2 years in prison.
Mohamed Miaad, H. Gaswa, was charged under terrorism act by the state with the suspect denying the charges against him.
The Criminal Court sentenced Miaad to 2 years imprisonment stating that the evidence provided by the state proved the charges.
- Witness statement place the suspect at the site of the crime with other assailants.
- DNA evidence found on a discarded glove at the crime scene is a match with the suspect.
- The suspect has marks indicative of fire burns.
Miaad has to serve the remainder of 2 years after taking into account the time served during remand, 63 days.
On 8 October 2013, an arson attack on privately owned RaajjeTV at 04:42 caused damages of MVR 11.6 million. A group of masked men are recorded on CCTV footage breaking into the studio, using gasoline as an accelerant for the fire. The assailants also stabbed a foreign security guard to access the building.
