Two men jailed for stealing safe from Male' home while owner was at Fajr prayers

Two men have been sentenced to prison for breaking into a house in Male' and stealing a safe while the owner was away for Fajr prayers.

The Prosecutor General’s Office charged the pair with unlawful entry, theft, and property damage. The defendants are Ismail Saif, 39, of Habibihep, R. Alifushi, and Ali Nimal of Ma. Delhi, Male' City. Court records show Saif has multiple prior criminal offences.

The case was filed in October last year, and the Criminal Court delivered its verdict on the final working day before recess.

According to the judgment, both Saif and Nimal pleaded not guilty and claimed they did not know each other. Nimal told the court he only met Saif after being arrested in connection with the case. Despite their denial, neither defendant presented evidence in their defence.

The prosecution submitted CCTV footage showing the two men climbing over the boundary wall, at one point standing on each other’s shoulders, to enter the property. One of them was disguised with a wig and scarf.

Inside the home, they stole a safe containing more than MVR 300,000 and USD 3,000, according to the trial summary.

For unlawful entry, Saif was sentenced to two months and 12 days, while Nimal received three months.  

For theft, both men were sentenced to one year, seven months and six days, and were ordered to repay the unrecovered amount of cash, including the USD 3,000, within one year.  

For property damage, they were each sentenced to one month and six days, and ordered to pay MVR 9,300 in compensation within a year.