Former Defense Minister Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim’s legal team has said that the identity of the individual behind planting the weapon in Nazim’s residence was known.
Speaking to press, Nazim’s lawyer Husnu Suood said that new evidence cannot be submitted to the Court in the appeal process, adding that he hoped that the Court will grant leniency and allow new discovery. He said the state lawyers had presented additional details, previously not submitted as discovery, had been considered by the Court and that Supreme Court can take this into account as well.
“The biggest issue noted in the verdict was that Nazim had not been able to offer a new suspect in the charges of weapons possession filed against him. We were not able to confirm this then but we have new information now. This is an important appeal. Based on the appeal, Nazim looks to spend a significant part of his life behind jail,” he said.
He added that weapon from Nazim’s home and in Hinbalhidhoo had their serial numbers shaved off and as such bore similar markings. Hinbalhidhoo weapons stash were part of the MNDF armory, as confirmed by MNDF’s Ali Ihsan and the weapon from Nazim’s home was also the same.
“The weapons were three-part assembly items, we can see that it was from the same stash,”
Husnu Suood added that Nazim had received threatening calls from Adeeb two days before the event, room layout, on the day the weapon was discovered, noting that none of these cases had been investigated by the Police. He added that this was evident of a close relationship between then CP Hussain Waheed and Adeeb.
“Nazim was framed by former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, and former Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed. I have said this many times in Criminal and High Court. I have evidence to support the claim,”
The lawyer added that the Chief Justice had urged for leniency on cases and that he hoped that the same will be applicable to Nazim as well.
Individual behind planting weapon is now known: Husnu Suood
