Mohamed Nizam, accused of murdering Mohamed Liton, a Bangladeshi worker in Malé, has also been accused of stealing MVR 50,000 that belonged to the victim.
Liton, 35, and Nizam, 45, were believed to have gone missing in late December after they had departed from Vilimalé and no one heard from them. However, while searches for the both of them were underway, Nizam was found in a cafe in Malé.
Details publicised by the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) said that Nizam is being accused of throwing Liton's body into the sea near Kaafu atoll Galufalhu after they left from Vilimalé.
Even though Liton's body has yet to be recovered, PGO maintains they have enough evidence to charge Nizam with murder.
"The police investigations show that the incident occurred between 7:00 and 8:30 in the evening on December 28, 2022. Over MVR 51,000 that belonged to Liton that was kept onboard the vessel named "Hedheykuri" was also stolen by Nizam," the PGO stated.
In addition to murder with intent and theft charges, Nizam is also being accused of possession of drugs.
It is believed that the drugs were purchased with the money stolen from the victim.
Nizam is also being charged with drug trafficking after 3.3 grammes of diamorphine were discovered when the police raided the room he was renting.
Among these offences, the basic punishment for killing a person is up to 10 years in prison. Qisas ("retaliation in kind" in Islam) is also being sought from Nizam over Liton's death. Since the PGO has charged Nizam with murder, the condition for Qisas, where an offender must have intentionally caused harm to the victim, was met.
Sign In