Suspect in oil attack on Mandhy jailed pending trial’s outcome in 2.2 kilo heroin case

A young man who was arrested from Male’ last year for allegedly following an activist from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on a motorcycle and throwing engine oil on her has been jailed pending the outcome of his trial in a major heroin trafficking case.

Mariyam 'Mandhy' Zubair, who works in an administrative role at the MDP office, and is the mother of South Galolhy MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, was attacked with oil by two individuals who followed her as she drove her motorcycle home on early March 17, 2025.

The then-20-year-old Ahmed Rishmah from Sunlight Villa in GA. Dhaandhoo, was arrested in the case over a week later on March 27, 2025, He has initially remanded for 15 days, but was granted conditional release on April 12, 2025.

He was rearrested earlier this year in a case involving 38-year-old Ranjini Jeevananthan from Malaysia, who was arrested from the Velana International Airport (VIA) on February 28 with a luggage holding 2.2 kilos of heroin. Rishmah, now 21, was one of two Maldivian men who were arrested in connection to the case.

On Monday, the Criminal Court ordered for Rishmah to be held in jail pending the outcome of his trial in the case.

Court documents show that Rishmah and Looth were arrested in a controlled delivery operation conducted by the police following Ranjini’s arrest.

They were both arrested after they went to a guesthouse and collected the luggage.

The drugs were hidden in a false bottom in the luggage.

Ranjini, who has also been jailed pending the outcome of the trial, told the court during a previous remand hearing that the luggage was given to her by a “friend.”

She also told the court she travelled to Maldives on a three-day trip following an “offer by a friend.”

Meanwhile, Looth told the court that he went to collect the luggage at the request of “a friend in prison.”

All three face a life sentence of 25 years and a fine of MVR 100,000 to MVR 10 million is found guilty in the case.