Man found guilty of homicide, slapped with prison sentence

Mohamed Najah, former lover of Mariyam Sheereen who was found dead inside a building under construction in capital Malé City over 10 years ago, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The High Court slapped Najah, native to Gan island in Laamu atoll, with the prison sentence on Wednesday, after overruling Criminal Court’s verdict.

Initially, Najah was set free during September 2019 after the lower court found him not guilty to the charges of committing murder.

However, the state had appealed the case at the High Court and the three judges presiding over the case found the convict, guilty, they unanimously overruled Criminal Court’s initial verdict.

Najah has been found guilty of murdering Sheereen, in their residence in Kurahaage of Maafannu-ward in the capital city during December 2009.

State prosecutors stated that Najah had transferred the woman’s body stuffed inside a box, in a taxi to the construction site. It was dumped near the construction site in Anagaagirige in the same district.

Criminal Court’s verdict during 2019 read that the cause of Sheereen’s death could only be determined by a post-mortem, recommended by doctors, which the state prosecutors had not presented at the trial.

The High Court’s verdict on Wednesday reads that based on evidence and witness statements presented he was guilty of committing homicide.

Further, the verdict reads that Sheereen’s family was entitled to Qisas, meaning retributive justice that is compensated financially to the victim’s family in cases of murder, bodily harm or property damage in the Islamic laws.

High Court also advised Najah to repent to his actions by fasting, as prescribed under the Islamic law.