High Court rejects Lamha's bail appeal

The High Court of Maldives has rejected prosecutors' attempt to appeal the bail of Haleemath Lamha, who stands accused of murdering Mary Grace Oned Pineda, a Filipino nurse who worked in the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Malé City.

Prosecutors charged Marvin, also a nurse at IGMH and the husband of Mary Grace, along with Lamha, who also worked at the same hospital as Mary and Marvin. Authorities believe that Lamha and Marvin were having an affair, and colluded in murdering Mary in October, 2021.

In the ongoing case at the Criminal Court, Marvin stands charged with intentional homicide, while Lamha is charged with knowingly participating in murder as well as unauthorized possession of another party's property.

The second charge against Lamha is for being in possession of medication which can only be used within hospital premises.

Earlier this month, the Criminal Court granted Lamha bail.

When the prosecution appealed the case to the High Court, the Registrar of the High Court decided that the prosecution had explained the circumstances in which the Court of Appeal should enter into the Criminal Court's decision.

As such, the case was dismissed, the decision said.

Although Lamha is out on conditional bail, Marvin still remains in custody.