Malé, Maldives — The Maldives High Court has rejected an appeal from the state seeking to overturn a Criminal Court decision to release Haleemath Lamha from custody. Lamha, a Maldivian nurse accused of being an accomplice in the 2021 murder of Mary Grace, a Filipino nurse at Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital, remains charged but is now free from detention.

Mary Grace was murdered in October 2021, with her husband, Marvin Eswai Vargas, facing charges of premeditated homicide. Lamha, who worked with Mary Grace, was accused of assisting Marvin in the murder. Authorities allege that Lamha, who was reportedly in a romantic relationship with Marvin, willingly participated in the crime.

Lamha’s release from custody earlier this month marks the second time she has been freed during the case proceedings. In 2023, she was released for three months before the state successfully appealed the decision, resulting in her return to custody.

The state again appealed her release after the Criminal Court’s recent verdict, but the High Court’s registrar rejected the case, citing insufficient grounds for the appeal.

Lamha continues to face multiple charges, including:

1️⃣ Willing participation in premeditated homicide

2️⃣ Criminal trespassing on personal property

3️⃣ Theft of drugs from an unauthorised location

Meanwhile, Marvin remains in custody, charged with premeditated homicide in the brutal killing of Mary Grace.

The case has drawn intense public scrutiny due to its nature and the involvement of a personal relationship in the alleged crime. Critics have raised questions about the state’s handling of the case, particularly its inability to meet the evidentiary requirements for appealing Lamha’s release.

With Lamha now out of custody, attention remains focused on the ongoing legal proceedings, including Marvin’s trial and the charges still pending against Lamha.