In late December last year, police declared two men missing after leaving Villimale on an oil tanker. The two men are Mohamed Nizam (45) of Manar, GDh. Thinadhoo and Mohammad Liton, a Bangladeshi national working on the Fuel Power Company’s “Hedeykeri” boat.
The oil tanker carrying the two men was found abandoned near the Vellana International Airport (VIA). Yet, police found no one in the tanker. While searching for the two men who went missing, the Maldivian, Mohamed Nizam, was found in Male’ city. Nizam was arrested a week later under a court order on suspicion of killing the next passenger, Mohammad Litan(35), a Bangladeshi national. The body of the Litan was never found.
However, on February 26, 2023, Prosecutor General Hussain Shamim said that although Litton’s body was not found, Nizam could be charged with intentional homicide.
PG said that based on the evidence given by Nizam during the investigation, it is believed that Liton’s death was caused by the action of what Nizam did. “We will prove in court that what he did could have killed someone. And it didn’t have any other consequences.” Shamim explained.
Today, the Prosecutor General’s Office said Nizam killed Mohammed Liton for money in his possession.
The Prosecutor General’s Office said Mohamed Liton was killed by pushing him into the sea near K. Galufalhu between 19:00 and 20:30 on December 28, 2022.
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, Mohamed Nizam stole more than MVR 51,000 (fifty-one thousand Rufiyaa) belonging to Mohammed Liton from the boat.
Three charges were filed against Nizam in the Criminal Court yesterday (02.03.2023) in connection with the disappearance of Mohammed Litton.
- The first charge against him is intentional homicide. The primary punishment for the crime was ten years in prison or QisasIt is a category of criminal justice in Islamic jurisprudence, where Sharia allows equal retaliation as the punishment.
- The second charge is theft. The primary punishment for the offense is imprisonment for one year, seven months, and six days.
- The third charge is the offense of dealing with diamorphine. The punishment for the crime is imprisonment for 15 years and a fine between MVR 25,000 (twenty-five thousand) and MVR. 500,000 (five lakhs).
Mohammed Nizam was charged with drug dealing after police recovered a total of 3.2565 grams of diamorphine from a room he was renting in Shadivila North, the prosecutor general’s office said. Mohammed Nizam allegedly bought the drugs with money stolen from the boat.
