Bangladeshi sentenced to death for killing businessman in Maldives

A Bangladeshi migrant was sentenced to death for killing a businessperson in Maldives, local newspaper Avas reports.

The criminal court of the country’s Dhangethi island handed down the verdict on Sunday.

The convict was Bangladeshi migrant Sha Alom alias Salim Mia, 29, who worked on the island as a live-in caretaker of an elderly man.

Entrepreneur Mahmood Aboobakuru, 57, was found dead inside a well in an abandoned house in Dhangethi on 15 October last year. Police arrested Salim Mia on the following day.

Salim Mia faced two charges; murder with intent and the abuse of a corpse.

He confessed to committing the crime during the investigation and pleaded guilty in court.

As per Salim Mia, he murdered the businessman for money. He said his actions were motivated by the 'devil entering his head'.

As the court found the Bangladeshi man guilty of the charges, it took the statements of the slain businessman’s heirs on how to proceed with sentencing.

All seven heirs sought 'Qisas' or equal retribution for Mahmood's murder and did not want blood money or 'Diyat'.

The court then proceeded with sentencing.

On Sunday, the judge sentenced Salim Mia to death for the murder of Mahmood and to one month and 24 days for abuse of a corpse.

The judge said as Salim Mia had already spent over one month and 24 days in detention, the latter sentence is considered served.