Luthufaru's killers attempted to sink his body at sea to ensure it would never be recovered!
Although the defendants initially confessed to the murder of Luthufaru, a Bangladeshi national working aboard the vessel "Kurimagu 1" in Sh. Lhaimagu, they have since recanted their statements, with defense attorneys arguing that the confessions were obtained through coercion and are legally invalid. The prosecution's evidence in the case includes witness accounts of noises heard from the boat and human remains recovered from the seabed.
Criminal Court proceeds with hearing on Luthufaru murder case. | RaajjeMV
The defendants charged in the murder of Luthufaru, a Bangladeshi national who worked aboard the vessel "Kurimagu 1" in Sh. Lhaimagu, have been found guilty.
The state filed charges of intentional homicide against three individuals in this case. The accused are Bangladeshi nationals Alamin, Nurul Islam Sarkar, and MD Akhtar Hussain. However, MD Akhtar Hussain has since passed away.
The evidence submitted by the state in this case includes testimonies intended to prove that Luthufaru was onboard the vessel, that unusual noises were heard from the boat on the night of the incident, and that a sound resembling something being thrown into the sea was heard shortly thereafter.
Furthermore, testimony regarding the remains discovered underwater was also presented during the trial. In this regard, the official who processed the crime scene testified that the remains appeared to have been submerged for approximately one week prior to their discovery.
Police stated that the defendants informed investigators that Luthufaru was killed after he attempted to engage in same-sex relations with another expatriate on board the vessel.
Defense attorneys in this case argued that the confessions were obtained under questionable circumstances and maintained that a conviction cannot be secured based solely on those statements.
The defendants in this case initially confessed to the charges and signed a plea agreement with the state. However, they retracted their confessions and entered a plea of not guilty once the trial proceedings commenced.
Furthermore, they stated that their previous confessions were obtained under duress, alleging that police had subjected them to torture and intimidation.
Delivering the verdict on Tuesday, the presiding judge stated that although the defendants claimed their confessions were obtained through coercion, there was insufficient evidence to support these allegations. The judge further ruled that the defendants' statements remain admissible in court.
Based on the statements provided, the judge noted that the perpetrators had attempted to conceal Luthufaru's body in a manner that would ensure it was never discovered.
According to details in the statements, the suspects allegedly transported Luthufaru's body out to sea through the channel near the island’s harbor. The statements further reveal that the body was taken to the water tied to several buoys, where sacks filled with stones and rocks were then attached to the body to submerge it.
Subsequently, statements indicate that after the body was submerged in the sea, the weights attached to it were removed. According to the statements, the body immediately sank to the seabed at that location once the weights were detached.
The judge stated that these accounts were consistent across the investigative statements provided by all three individuals. Furthermore, the judge noted that there were no material contradictions among their testimonies.
The presiding judge noted that police have recovered several items used in the commission of the crime from the nearby breakwater. The judge further stated that, when considering these physical exhibits alongside the investigative statements, there is sufficient evidence to proceed with the case.
However, the defense has raised questions regarding whether the remains recovered from the seabed by police have been definitively identified as those of Luthufaru. This challenge stems from the prosecution's failure to submit any official immigration documentation to the court proving that Luthufaru had ever entered the Maldives.
The presiding judge stated that, for instance, even if the identity of the deceased remains unknown, a discretionary (ta'zir) punishment can still be imposed if it is proven that a person was murdered.
Regarding this case, the judge noted that although there is no official record of his entry into the Maldives, the state could present alternative documentation to prove his presence in the country. For instance, the judge highlighted that state evidence and witness testimonies had already confirmed details regarding his employment on a boat in Lhaimagu.
The judge further stated that in the absence of official documentation, scientific evidence can be utilized to establish the identity of the deceased. In this regard, the judge noted that the DNA recovered from the remains in this case matches that of Luthufaru, as the profile is genetically linked to the DNA samples obtained from Luthufaru's parents and children.
Based on the facts of the case, the presiding judge ruled that the charges against the defendants had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge further issued a verdict finding them guilty of intentional homicide.
Judge Ahmed Shafiu presided over the verdict in this case at the Criminal Court. The next stages of the proceedings will involve recording statements from the legal heirs and determining the sentence.
The state attorney stated that information regarding the legal heirs will be shared with the court once it has been verified through the High Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Maldives Police Service.
