A Canadian man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for possession of drugs inside a guesthouse on Baa Maalhos island.
Scott William Armstrong was arrested in July 2019. Police found 26 grams of cannabis in his possession.
According to the law, anyone found with more than 14 grams of cannabis is considered a trafficker and the punishment is life imprisonment.
The prosecution said Armstrong confessed to the crime and showed the drugs to police when they went to search the guesthouse under a court order.
However, he later pleaded not guilty to the trafficking charges. Defence attorneys said although the drugs were found in Armstrong's room, other people were also able to come into the room.
However, the court found him guilty, sentenced him to life imprisonment and fined MVR 100,000.
Armstrong spent five months and nine days in jail before being sentenced on Thursday. The court ruled that he should serve 24 years and five months of his 25-year jail sentence.
