Lamha sentenced to over 15 years in prison for involvement in Mary's murder!
The Criminal Court has sentenced Marvin S.Y. Vargas to 25 years in prison for the murder of Mary Grace, while his accomplice, Haleemath Lamha, received a 15-year sentence after being found guilty on three related charges. In delivering the verdict, the presiding judge granted the prosecution's request to enhance the statutory penalties, citing the calculated cruelty of the act and the fact that both defendants, as healthcare professionals, violated their ethical duty to uphold human dignity.
Haleemath Lamha Abdul Rahman, of Maafini in Lh. Hinnavaru, who has been charged in connection with the death of Mary Grace. | RaajjeMV
The Criminal Court has sentenced Haleemath Lamha Abdul Rahman to 15 years in prison following her conviction in the death of Mary Grace, a nurse who was employed at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
In the murder case of Mary Grace, the presiding judge has sentenced her husband to 25 years in prison after finding him guilty of aiding and abetting intentional homicide.
In addition to being found guilty of complicity in this case, Haleemath Lamha was also convicted of several other charges. Consequently, a hearing to determine her sentencing was held on Wednesday.
During the sentencing hearing held on Wednesday, the prosecution requested an enhancement of the defendants' sentence levels. The state cited several aggravating factors, noting that the individuals are healthcare professionals who acted out of self-interest and with total disregard for human dignity, carrying out their actions in a cruel and inhumane manner.
The prosecution further highlighted that their actions led to the death of a mother on foreign soil, leaving her child in a state of profound vulnerability and distress.
During the opportunity provided to speak regarding the sentencing, Lamha’s legal counsel requested that her prison sentence be commuted to an alternative penalty. The lawyer noted that the sentence could be converted to either house arrest or a fine.
The defense counsel stated that Lamha has already spent more than three years in custody in connection with this case, and that all legal requirements for a sentence reduction have been met. The lawyer further highlighted that Lamha is the only child of a single mother.
Highlighting that Lamha is an educated individual with vocational skills such as tailoring, the defense counsel argued that the court, when determining the sentence, should prioritize measures that facilitate her rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.
Taking into account the arguments presented by both sides, the presiding judge determined that there were no grounds to mitigate the sentence. Consequently, Lamha was sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role as an accomplice in a knowing and intentional homicide. After deducting the time already served in custody, she will be required to serve a remaining prison term of 11 years.
In this case, Lamha was also found guilty of the charge of exercising unauthorized control over another person's property. Consequently, she has been sentenced to three months in prison.
Additionally, he was found guilty of conducting an activity without the required permit. For this charge, he was sentenced to one month and 15 days in prison.
