Lamha’s release from custody appealed at High Court

Criminal Court’s order releasing Haleemath Lamha Abdul Rahman – on trial for the murder of Filipino nurse Mary Grace Oned Pineda – from custody for a period of three months, has been appealed at the High Court.

As per the High Court’s registry, the Prosecutor General’s Office appealed the Criminal Court’s order on Monday.

Mary was killed in her apartment on the first floor of Ma. Udhuheykokaage in Male’ City in the afternoon of October 19, 2021.

Her husband, Marvin S. Y. Vargas is charged with murder with intent, while Lamha – his mistress - is charged as an accomplice to murder and for unauthorized possession of controlled medical substances.

All three had worked as nurses at IGMH’s ER.

Lamha and Marvin have been jailed pending the outcome of their trial.

In a hearing in the case held on November 14^th, Lamha had requested the court to grant her release from custody after fitting her with an ankle bracelet monitor, citing she was presently seeking medical care for some health conditions.

Criminal Court ordered Lamha’s release for a period of 180 days last Thursday, as the court proceedings in the case had been progressing slowly. 

Lamha has previously requested to be released as well; a request which the judge had denied back then.

Marvin had taken Mary’s body to IGMH in an ambulance mere minutes after she had gone home for her break from work. He initially claimed her death as a suicide by hanging, and later changed his story and said she had suddenly collapsed.

Police found the death suspicious and opened an investigation.

Marvin was arrested on October 27, 2021. And Lamha was arrested on December 16, 2021.

An autopsy on Mary showed she died from injuries to her neck and head. Examiners also found traces succinylcholine - a medication used to cause short-term paralysis as part of general anesthesia - in her blood.

Investigators found a used succinylcholine injection, along with two other restricted injections from Lamha’s apartment.

Marvin faces a life sentence if found guilty, while Lamha faces at least six years in prison.