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The justice annex building where criminal court and drug court is operating - Photo: DJA

MALÉ: The Criminal Court has sentenced Ibrahim Nazim, the owner and landlord of G. Pelican in Malé, to ten years in prison after finding him guilty of allowing his property to be continuously used for illicit drug trade activities.

The ruling marks the first time a landlord has been convicted under specific legal provisions that hold property owners criminally liable if they knowingly permit drug trafficking operations on their premises.

State prosecutors presented evidence showing that police conducted multiple raids at G. Pelican, arresting several individuals alongside confiscated narcotics. Prosecutors argued that Nazim maintained full control over the building and had reasonable grounds to believe that illegal drug sales and consumption were taking place on the site.

Nazim denied the charges in court, testifying that he had rented the property to two individuals and was unaware of any criminal acts being committed during his absence. He further stated that he fully cooperated with law enforcement officers during search operations.

Presiding Judge Misbah Mohamed noted that police issued formal notices to the landlord in 2020 warning him to halt illegal activities taking place at the house. However, Nazim maintained lease agreements with the same individuals, leading to a subsequent police raid where the same group was again found inside the apartment.

The court ruled that by maintaining lease agreements despite repeated official police notices, the landlord facilitated the commission of the crime. Under Section 127 of the Drugs Act, permitting property to be used for drug trafficking carries a mandatory statutory penalty of ten years imprisonment.