Guraidhoo murder: Suspect sentenced to life imprisonment, ordered to pay MVR 1M as diya

Criminal Court has found Bangladeshi national Babul Miah guilty of intentionally murdering fellow Bangladeshi national Shah Alam, who was attacked with a sharp object at a construction site in Th. Guraidhoo, with Babul Miah sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay MVR 1 million in blood money (diya).

The incident took place at approximately 00:44am on May 21, 2020, at the Binmaa Site in the Kandaru area of Th. Guraidhoo. According to the court’s ruling, Babul Miah inflicted serious injuries on Shah Alam using a sharp object, targeting his neck, the right side of his chest near the armpit, his ribs, and the area of his back near the spine.

Following the attack, Shah Alam, who sustained critical injuries, sought assistance by knocking on the door of the nearby Goma Site. He later collapsed near the gate and died from his injuries.

Police investigations found indications that a person had removed a tin sheet from the fence of the Binmaa Site to exit the area, with blood stains discovered on the sheet. Investigators also found a trail of blood drops and footprints leading from the Binmaa Site to the Goma Site, where Shah Alam was found dead. A blood-stained knife and a new Kiwi-brand knife were recovered from the scene, while an empty Kiwi-brand knife set was found at Fannu Ge, the residence of Babul Miah.

During the investigation, Babul Miah claimed that he had been attacked and targeted in an attempted robbery by two masked individuals. His defense in court maintained that he had acted in self-defense. However, the prosecution presented forensic evidence, DNA analysis, and witness testimonies, which the court found disproved his account.

The case was presided over by Judge Muzzammil Nasir, who ruled that the charge of "intentional murder using a sharp object" filed against Babul Miah under the relevant provisions of the Law on the Prohibition of the Use of Threatening and Dangerous Weapons and Sharp Objects had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay MVR 1 million as blood money (diya).