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Expat murdered in Lhaimagu allegedly over money issues

Ahmed Aiham
07 May 2019, MVT 16:22
Aerial view of Lhaimagu in Shaviyani Atoll.
Ahmed Aiham
07 May 2019, MVT 16:22

Certain natives of Lhaimagu, Shaviyani Atoll, expressed that the Bangladeshi expatriate Luthufar was found killed in the island's woods following a monetary dispute with his acquaintances, reported local media Mihaaru on Tuesday.

According to a source on the island, he was allegedly working illegally in the country as his work permit had expired.

"Hence Luthufar could not send money back to his country. He handed over the money to another employee on the boat", said the source who maintains a close relationship with the expatriates, adding that the dispute occurred due to the misuse of over MVR 13,600 belonging to Luthufar.

He was reported missing on April 22, 2019, and was employed on the boat 'Kurimagu 1'. He was hired a month prior to the incident and resided full time on the vessel.

Luthufar went missing nearing the boat's departure to capital city Male' and was reported only after the boat left the island.

The boat's captain, Ali Shareef, stated that all of his staff were accounted for during a check-up before the boat left and that their facial expressions did not indicate that an issue was present.

However, some islanders have refuted the captain's claims.

A witness on an adjacent boat next to 'Kurimagu 1' claimed that heated arguments were overheard on the boat, adding that the captain was informed of the issue. After which Shareef then addressed his crew on the jetty, alleging that the captain was aware of a possible altercation on the boat.

Additionally, adding to the claims that Luthufar was murdered in the woods, an eyewitness reported witnessing two expatriates leaving the area in question.

Moreover, a passenger on Luthufar's boat also attested to seeing two expatriates making their way out of the woods around 0300 hrs, while on their way to the boat.

Police revealed on Monday the recovery of human body parts from an underwater location, presumably belonging to Luthufar, during a dive conducted by Police, upon receiving information over his possible whereabouts.

Police has since inspected the region of Luthufar's alleged murder in the woods.

Lhaimagu's Council President Abdul Ghanee Ibrahim stated that the work to recover the body was still underway and that the body parts were discovered around the outer edge of the island's house reef.

The authorities previously announced the arrest of two other Bangladeshi workers in connection to Luthufar's murder. However, Mihaaru reported that information received by the media suggested that every Bangladeshi worker on board the vessel was later arrested.

A total of five Bangladeshi workers were employed on the boat, including the deceased.

Police is yet to disclose further details pertaining to the investigation.

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