Court sentences Marvin to life imprisonment for wife's murder
Mary Grace was killed on 19 October 2021 at her residence on the first floor of Ma. Udhuvhey Kokaage.
The Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced Marvin S.Y. Vargas to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, Mary Grace Pineda, a Philippine national who worked as a nurse at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).
Mary Grace was killed on 19 October 2021 at her residence on the first floor of Ma. Udhuvhey Kokaage.
Marvin had initially claimed that his wife died by suicide. However, in its conviction delivered last month, the Criminal Court found that the evidence established she had been murdered.
The court found that:
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There were no signs consistent with death by hanging. Instead, evidence showed injuries to Mary's head and neck and signs that she had been suffocated.
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Marvin and Haleemath Lamha Abdul Rahman, an IGMH nurse with whom Marvin was in a relationship, attacked and suffocated Mary.
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The murder was planned in advance and carried out because the couple wanted to marry.
Although Marvin was convicted of intentional murder last month, sentencing was postponed at the request of the defence.
During Wednesday's sentencing hearing, the prosecution asked the court to impose the maximum sentence of 25 years' imprisonment.
State prosecutor Aishath Azleena argued that Marvin had a duty to protect his wife and child and that his actions had deprived their child of a mother.
She also submitted that Marvin understood the consequences of his actions and that the offence was committed to continue his relationship with another person.
Defence lawyer Ismail Mohamed asked the court to impose a lesser sentence. He submitted that Marvin had no previous criminal record, had been employed in the Maldives, and had converted to Islam, adopting the name Yusuf.
After hearing both sides, presiding judge Muzammil Naseer sentenced Marvin to 25 years' imprisonment.
After deducting the period already spent in custody, the remaining sentence to be served is 20 years, three months and 26 days.
In delivering the sentence, the judge noted that Marvin had attempted to conceal the offence after the killing and took those actions into account in determining the sentence.
Lamha, who has also been convicted in the case, is scheduled to be sentenced separately. Her sentencing hearing is set for 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
