Man receives life sentence for trafficking heroin

The Criminal Court on Monday issued the life sentence to a man arrested in 2019 from a road in Male’ City with over 100 grams of diamorphine or heroin.

Abdul Vahid Hamid, M. Boiling Fish, K. Male’, was arrested at around 10:45 am on January 9, 2019, from Bodu Thakurufaanu Magu in Male’ City, near the Usfasgandu area. He was arrested following information received by Police Intelligence that he was transporting drugs from Hulhumale’ to Male’ City.

The police searched him following his arrest, and found a package with 100.32 grams of heroin inside the pockets of his shorts.

He was charged with diamorphine trafficking.

During the trial, police testified that Vahid admitted ownership of the drugs at the scene itself.

However, a defense witness testified that he gave Vahid traditional medicine wrapped in tissue. The witness testified that the medicine was for his sister who had suffered a stroke.

He said that he learnt of Vahid’s arrest some five days later.

Vahid told the court that based on the testimony of the witness, it is highly probable that the drugs came from the witness.

However, the court found inconsistencies in the testimony. This includes the failure to establish that the drugs found in Vahid’s pockets were the traditional medicine that the witness gave him.

The court decided that despite Vahid’s denial, the evidence submitted by the prosecution was sufficient to prove him guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

The court issued a life sentence of 25 years in prison for diamorphine trafficking and also fined him by MVR 100,000, which he was told to settle within 12 months.

Given the time he has already spent in detention, he was 24 years and 11 months left to serve.