Two imprisoned for stealing MVR 300K from Male’ home while owner away on umrah

The Criminal Court has sentenced two men to prison for stealing over MVR 300,000 in the safe of a home in Male’ while the owner was away on umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

The burglary took place at an apartment in a building in Maafannu district on December 30, 2022.

Mohamed Firunas of M. Kolhufushi and Ahmed Assad of M. Dhiggaru were accused of stealing MVR 300,000 and USD 10,000 in cash after forcing open the main door and bedroom door of the apartment, and breaking into the money safe in the wardrobe.

Farunas was later arrested from a guesthouse in Male’, from whether the police found over MVR 200,000 and USD 10,000 in cash hidden in the ceiling of the bathroom. He was found guilty of all three charges against him; theft, trespassing, and damage to property.

The minimum sentence for theft is one year, seven months and six days in prison. The judge excluded the one year and 21 days he spent in detention during the trial, leaving him with six months and 15 days left to serve. He was sentenced to an additional two months and 12 days for trespassing and nine days for property damage.

Meanwhile, Assad was charged with accomplice to theft and trespassing, and found guilty of both charges. The sentencing requirement for theft was raised by one level due to a prior conviction for the same crime over the last two years, and he was ordered to one year and 10 months in prison, after excluding the 60 days he already spent in detention.

He was sentenced to an additional three months for trespassing based on his criminal history.

The prosecution submitted CCTV footage, video analysis reports and police testimony in the case against them.