The Hon. Attorney General vs. Nijabdeen Nazeer – CA HCC/0179/2015-2024

In the case between The Hon. Attorney General (Plaintiff) and Nijabdeen Nazeer (Defendant/Appellant), the court addressed whether the conviction and death sentence against the 1st Accused-Appellant by the High Court were supported by reliable evidence. The appellate review centered on the evaluation of alibi evidence, the assignment of the burden of proof concerning the alibi, and the proper application of the Turnbull principle in assessing eyewitness identification. The court found significant inconsistencies between the eyewitness testimony (reporting a single gunshot) and the forensic evidence (indicating multiple gunshots and the presence of several empty cartridges). Upon analyzing the evidentiary discrepancies and procedural misdirections, the previous conviction was deemed unsustai