Woman sentenced to 20 years in prison for son’s murder

The Criminal Court has found Afiya Mohamed Manik guilty of killing her son, Mohamed Ibthihaal, 3, in V. Rakeedhoo, sentencing her to 20 years in prison.

Afiya was charged with the intentional killing of a young child for strangling, beating, and kicking her son to death in their home in V. Rakeedhoo on January 28, 2015. She was also charged with disobedience.

Afiya had confessed to the killing when she was taken before the G. Dh. Thinadhoo Magistrate Court for her remand hearing, and again to police investigators and during her trial at the Criminal Court. She later withdrew her guilty plea midway through the trial after claiming police coercion and denied beating her son.

Afiya named her husband, Ibthihaal’s stepfather, as her sole defense witness, but he testified against her in court.

The Criminal Court issued its verdict in the case on Monday.

The Criminal Court found that Afiya’s own statements show she harbored resentment towards her son due to him being born out of wedlock, and that she had woken up on January 28, 2015 with the intention of killing him.

To be updated….