Nurse Mary’s murder: Marvin sentenced to life; Lamha to 15 years

The Criminal Court has sentenced Marvin S. Y. Vargas to a life term of 25 years and his alleged mistress Haleemath Lamha Abdul Rahman to 15 years in prison for the murder of the former’s wife, Mary Grace Oned Pineda.

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 was charged with murder with intent, while his alleged mistress, Lamha, was charged as an accomplice.

All three had worked as nurses at the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH)’s Emergency Room.

Marvin and Lamha, who were both found guilty of Mary’s murder on June 22, appeared at the court against on Wednesday afternoon for their sentencing.

The court sentenced Marvin to a life sentence of 25 years in prison, while Lamha was sentenced to 15 years.

The hearings were held separately.

Marvin had taken Mary’s body to IGMH in an ambulance mere minutes after she had gone to 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.

The prosecution produced over 100 pieces of evidence against the duo, including over 70 witnesses.

The evidence included chatlogs of conversations between the two, in which they discussed how the laws in Philippines prevented Marvin from taking a second wife.