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Raajje TV journos escape jail time

Opposition aligned Raajje TV journalists convicted of obstructing police officers escaped being jailed after the Criminal Court fined the two MVR28,800 over the offence on Tuesday.

The Raajje TV pair Mohamed Wisam and Leevan Ali Naseer is accused of attempting to block the arrest of the station's COO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa on November 2 during a bomb scare in the capital.

Police had reportedly tried to clear the area and when Fiyaz refused, police were forced to take him into custody.

The pair had allegedly tried to intervene with Wisam accused of grabbing a police officer from behind while Leevan attempted to break an officer's hold on Fiyaz.

Criminal court had found the pair guilty last month and has scheduled the sentencing hearing at 1pm Tuesday.

Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of four years and 24 days for the two, while the defence has urged a lesser sentence of just a fine.

Wisam meanwhile is on trial in a separate case of impeding on duty police officers which however is yet to be concluded.