Hamdhee(L),Zuhair(M), and Ismail taken to Court on 18 September
2001 (Photo Meemu Zaviyani)
Male,
September 18 (HNS) – Abdullah Zuhair, who has confessed to killing Azleena
Nafees of Javaahirumaage of Gaafu Alifu atoll Maamenndhoo has claimed repeatedly
during trial that he acted alone in killing her. Azleena was killed while she
was employed as a Secretary of Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (MNCCI). Zuhair was working as an Office Assistant at MNCCI when he
killed her inside a toilet of MNCCI. During the trial held on Tuesday at
Criminal Court, Zuhair said that no other person joined him in the crime, which
he said he committed because of his hatred towards her. Zuhair repeatedly
claimed that Abdullah Ismail of Husnuheenaage of Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Hoadedhoo
and Ibrahim Hamdhy of Saveyra of the same island did not take part in killing
Azleena. He said that there were many things he wanted to say in the trial
regarding this. When the Chief Judge asked him to recall how he killed
Azleena if he acted alone in the crime, Zuhair at first refused to do that.
Later he said that he stabbed Azleena ‘s throat with a knife that he took to
trim some of the plants at MNCCI. However, the state prosecutor said on
Tuesday that even though Zuhair said that there was no involvement of Ismail and
Hamdhy, there were confessions given by the three of them, during
investigations, bearing their fingerprints and signature. He said that there was
no way Hamdhy and Ismail could be free from the charges. During
investigation Zuhair said that because of Azleena they could not produce some
fake documents that they wanted to sell for Rf300,000. Zuhair, Ismail and a
Bangladeshi were trying to forge some documents concerning work permits for
foreign labour and when the Bangladeshi visited MNCCI to meet Zuhair, Azleena
told him that Zuhair was not there, while he was actually inside. Zuhair said
that because of this they could not get the Rf300,000. Zuhair said, during
investigation, that when he told Ismail of the incident Ismail said that Azleena
was getting out of control and she had to be killed. Zuhair said that he and
Ismail, while sitting at Henveyru Hihfaseyha Maidhaan, plotted to kill Azleena
and that Hamdhy assited them. Zuhair said that he harboured animosity
towards Azleena because she criticised some of his activities such as using
MNCCI’s photocopier to make copies of the fake documents that he prepared. He
was also enraged because she assigned him chores, which he said was not part of
his job, and also sending him to deliver documents to members of MNCCI during
the heat of the noon.