Criminal Court hands life sentence after finding Nizam guilty of causing Litton’s death through reckless disregard

The Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Nizam to life imprisonment for the murder of Bangladeshi national Mohamed Litton.

Litton, 35, disappeared on December 28, 2012 while working aboard a tanker. Prosecutors said Nizam, Manaaru, GDh. Thinadhoo, who was travelling with him on the vessel, threw him into the sea without his knowledge, causing his death. Nizam was charged with intentional homicide along with two additional offences.

The court had ruled last week that Nizam was not guilty of intentional homicide in Litton’s death to the unequivocal standard required under Islamic law, but that he was guilty of causing death by reckless disregard for human life under the Penal Code. Nizam was sentenced to 25 years in jail on Wednesday, of which he will serve 21 years and 10 months.

The murder charge in this case marks the first time a murder charge has been brought in Maldives in connection with a missing person.

The other two charges against Nizam are robbery and dealing in dimorphine. He was previously convicted of dealing in dimorphine and sentenced to prison. He was also convicted of theft.

In the sentencing order, the judge noted that Litton was unlikely to survive because of the area where he fell. The judge also noted that Nizam’s hostility towards Litton had been proven, and that Nizam admitted in his investigative statement to throwing Litton into the sea.