The Criminal Court on Sunday sentenced Sha Alom 'Salim' Mia to death for the murder of Dhangethi entrepreneur Mahmood Aboobakuru.
Mahmood, 57, was found murdered inside a well in an abandoned house in Dhangethi on October 15. Bangladeshi migrant worker Sha Alom, 29, who worked on the island as a live-in caretaker of an elderly man, was arrested for the murder the following day. The State raised two charges against him: Murder with intent and the abuse of a corpse. Sha Alom admitted to committing the crime during the investigation and pled guilty to both charges in court.
The court previously found him guilty of the charges and took the statements of his heirs on how to proceed with sentencing. All seven heirs agreed that they wished to seek 'Qisas' or equal retribution for Mahmood's murder and said they did not want blood money or 'Diyat'. During the hearing, Salim sought forgiveness from the slain businessman's family.
In the sentencing hearing held at the Criminal Court on Sunday, Judge Ahmed Shakeel sentenced Sha Alom to death for the murder of Mahmood and to one month and 24 days for abuse of a corpse. The Judge said as Sha Alom had already spent over one month and 24 days in detention, the latter sentence is considered served.
The Judge said taking a life is loathed by Allah (SWT) and advised the perpetrator to seek sincere repentance for his actions for the remainder of his life. The Judge reminded him that Allah is the All Merciful and that the doors of repentance do not close.
Sha Alom previously asked the court to lighten his sentence under a plea deal. However, Mahmood's heirs refused to enter a plea deal as they sought Qisas, and the State denied proceeding with a plea deal for this reason.
Salim murdered Mahmood using a knife and two sharpened metal rods. His chest and neck were punctured using the weapons. Mahmood's corpse was stuffed into sacks and dumped into a well by the murderer. As per Sha Alom, he murdered Mahmood for money. He said his actions were motivated by the 'devil entering his head'.
