Woman receives lower jail term for confession

A woman who confessed to a crime which originally carries a life in prison sentence has received a shorter jail term by the Criminal Court after a plea bargain with prosecutors.

The state charged Saha Waheed of GDh. Madaveli of dimorphine trafficking after a 202g packet of dimorphine was found in the pocket of her jeans which she was at Velana International Airport.

Saha was arrested in August and charged. However, she wanted to enter into a plea bargain with the prosecution in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Under the agreement, Saha received a 12 year and six month prison sentence as well as a fine of MVR 50,000. This is half of the original sentence of the crime.

The Criminal Court accepted the agreement and sentenced her in accordance with the agreement.

Saha told the court that she pleaded guilty without any coercion or influence.