Sri Lankan handed life imprisonment for drug trafficking in Maldives
Ranasinghe was sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of MVR 100,000 under the Narcotics Act.
Criminal Court on Sunday sentenced a Sri Lankan national to life imprisonment for cannabis trafficking in the Maldives.
The court handed the life imprisonment sentence to a man named Ranasinghe Tissa Hewa.
The presiding judge, Sofwath Habeeb, ruled that Ranasinghe was guilty of trafficking in cannabis beyond reasonable doubt.
Ranasinghe was sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of MVR 100,000 under the Narcotics Act. While Ranasinghe has already spent two years, seven months, and 17 days in jail while awaiting the outcome of the trial, the period was deducted from his sentence. He will now serve 22 years, four months, and 13 days in jail.
The court said the fine must be paid to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) within 12 months.
In addition to the trafficking conviction, Ranasinghe was also found guilty of using cannabis and sentenced to three years in prison.
