A court in Laamu Atoll has sentenced a motorcyclist to three years in prison and ordered him to pay MVR 1 million in blood money over the death of an elderly woman who was hit on a zebra crossing near Kadhdhoo airport last year.
The Laamu Gan Magistrate Court delivered the verdict after the man, from Laamu Fonadhoo, admitted the charge under a plea agreement with the state.
He was prosecuted for causing a death through negligent conduct.
Crash near Kadhdhoo airport
The crash happened on the night of 15 August 2025 on the road near Kadhdhoo airport, when his motorcycle struck pedestrians using the zebra crossing.
The woman, from Laamu Maavah, was crossing the road with her grandchild. She died of her injuries while receiving treatment that night.
The rider was arrested and held in custody until the end of the trial. Police later sent the case to the Prosecutor General's Office for charges.
Sentence and blood money
After deducting about one year and two months already spent in custody, he has roughly one year and nine months of the sentence left to serve. The court also ordered him to fast for 60 consecutive days as expiation (kaffarah).
The MVR 1 million in blood money (diya) must be paid within 36 months. It goes to the woman's heirs: her husband, four sons and four daughters.
A second pedestrian was also injured in the crash. In a separate case over those injuries, the man admitted the charge and was sentenced to nine months and 18 days.