Maldivian Reggae Artist Pardoned by President After 10 Years Sentence for 1 Gram of Cannabis

President Mohamed Nasheed granted clemency to Haisham Mohamed a famous Maldivian Reggae artist, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after one gram of cannabis was found inside his bag and his urine was found test was positive for THC, the drug’s active ingredient.


[RELATED ARTICLE: Maldivian Reggae Artist Sentenced to 10 Years for Cannabis Possession ]


Haisham will be released on parole but has to be very careful, because a second offence of any nature could see him serving his annulled sentence and the punishment for the second offence as well, according to Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service [DPRS] Director General Mohamed Rasheed.


Haisham was sentenced in September 2010 after a judge ruled that according to witness statements, evidence, and Haisham’s own confession, he owned the bag containing illegal narcotics with which he was found.

Haisham was the lead artist of the band ‘Palm Fever’. He also produced his own music and had acquired a popular following during a career which he started as a child performer at the Inter-school singing competition.