IGMH nurse’s murder: Husband’s remand extended by additional 30 days

The remand of Marvin S. Y. Vargas, arrested in connection to the murder of his wife, a Flipino nurse at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), Mary Grace Oned Pineda, has been extended by additional 30 days.

Marvin was charged with murder with intent, in connection to Mary’s death, on January 4. He is accused of injuring Mary’s head and neck and strangling her to death at her apartment on the first floor of Ma. Udhuheykokaage in Male’ City on the afternoon of October 19, 2021. 

Whilst the trial on Mary’s murder case commenced at the Criminal Court today – Marvin had affirmed at the court that he wishes to proceed with the assistance of a lawyer. He also noted that he had already appointed a lawyer.

Subsequently, the hearing being held online, was intermitted temporarily in order to contact Marvin’s lawyer. However, as the lawyer was not reached – the hearing was cut short.

At the hearing, the prosecution had requested to extend Marvin’s remand, for it expires today.

Presiding Judge Hussain Faiz Rashad had concluded to extend his remand by additional 30 days. However, Judge Faiz noted that the remand decision will be reviewed later on, when Marvin’s lawyer is present.

Should the charges against Marvin be proven at court, he faces a 10-year jail sentence.

In addition to Marvin, his lover, Haleemath Lamha Abdul Rahman, has also been charged in connection to Mary’s murder. Lamha is accused of co-conspiring with Marvin to murder Mary, and assisting in and facilitating her murder. She faces minimum of 6 years in prison if convicted of the charge. 

Both Marvin and Lamha are also nurses working at IGMH.

Lamha is also charged with two additional crimes; knowingly taking unauthorized control over the property of another after the police found two injections from IGMH which she had not been authorized to take out of the hospital hidden in an envelope in her bedroom and carrying out an activity that requires permission from an authority, without obtaining permission from the relevant authority after police found a type of drug issued only for the use of hospitals and health facilities during a search of her bedroom. 

She faces 4 months and 24 days in prison if convicted of both these charges.

The trials of Marvin and Lamha are being held separately.

The death of Mary on October 19 was initially reported by Marvin as a case of suicide by hanging.

Her dead body was taken to the hospital by her husband, Marvin, moments after she had gone home for break whilst on duty.

According to a credible source, Marvin initially told the hospital staff that his wife committed suicide by hanging herself, and then later changed his story and said that she suddenly collapsed.    

The police found the death suspicious, and opened an investigation into the case. 

Marvin was arrested in connection to death on October 27.

After conducting an autopsy on Mary’s body, the Police announced that they do not believe Mary died of suicide by hanging, and that the postmortem examination revealed the cause of death to be blunt injuries. 

Lamha was arrested under a court order on December 16.

Lamha admitted to her affair with Marvin in an interview to Sun last year. She claimed they ended their relationship a day before Mary’s death, but decided to resume their relationship following Mary’s death.