Life sentence less than a year after leaving rehab at own request

A Maldivian youth has been sentenced to life in prison less than a year after leaving drug rehabilitation program at his own request.  

The 19-year-old is from a northern Male’ atoll island. He was sentenced to rehabilitation following an arrest over cannabis usage last year.

The young man left the three-month community individualized rehabilitation program at his own request.

According to documents from the Drug Court, he was removed from the rehabilitation program on June 4, 2024, after being ordered to undergo treatment. During court proceedings, the young man stated that he did not wish to continue treatment for his addiction, a decision that was not opposed by the National Drug Agency (NDA). Subsequently, Judge Mohamed Naeem formally removed him from the program on September 22, 2024.

However, at that time, charges were filed against the young man with the Criminal Court in a drug-related case. The case, submitted on June 26, 2024, pertains to his arrest from Male’ Grand area in April of the same year.

In this regard, he was charged with cannabis trafficking following the discovery of drugs in a bag he had thrown away.

Although the young man denied the charge, Criminal Court Judge Ismail Shafeeu, who presided over the case, concluded that the charge was proven based on the evidence submitted.

Subsequently, he has been sentenced to life in prison, which is 25 years in the Maldives, and fined by MVR 100,000. The fine is to be settled within one year. The days he has already spent in custody will be deducted from his sentence.