Supreme Court on Monday overturned the verdict sentencing former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb to ten years in jail over illegal weapons possession.
The Criminal Court sentenced Adeeb to jail after witnesses testified against Adeeb stating that they saw Adeeb handling a handgun and bullets during and after May Day 2015. However, the police were unable to recover said gun and bullets.
The ruling issued with the unanimous agreement of all three judges on the Supreme Court bench read that substantial evidence against Adeeb was not presented to the court by the state. The ruling also noted that the state had admitted in court that the evidence against Adeeb was not enough to convict him on the charges.
During the hearing of the case, the state had changed its initial stand on the matter and requested the Supreme court to overturn the previous sentence due to lack of evidence.
The ruling issued by the top court also stated that the Criminal Court's verdict contradicts the guidelines stipulated in the Terrorism Act. While Adeeb was charged under the old Terrorism Act which stated that the possession of a weapon is an act of terrorism even if it is not used to carry out a terrorist act, the new laws on terrorism had been implemented when Adeeb was charged. Under the revised Terrorism Act, the possession of a weapon is not categorized under terrorism.
The High Court recently overturned Criminal Court’s ruling sentencing former vice president Ahmed Adeeb to 15 years in jail over the explosion aboard the presidential speedboat in 2015. The Court also ordered the Criminal Court to conduct a retrial of the case.
The former VP is currently under house arrest under a Supreme Court order.
Former VP Ahmed Adeeb
