The Criminal Court has decided to move ahead with the murder trial of Mary Grace, a Filipino nurse who worked at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), without hearing testimony from most of the defense witnesses proposed by her husband, Marvin Vargas.
The decision came after several defense witnesses failed to appear in court despite repeated attempts to secure their attendance.
Defense Witnesses Fail to Appear
A hearing in Marvin’s case was held today to record testimony from five individuals based in the Philippines. These individuals, described as friends and acquaintances of Marvin, were presented by the defense to testify about his character and personal conduct.
However, none of the witnesses from the Philippines appeared in court. According to the proceedings, multiple efforts were made to contact them, including issuing court summons and direct communication requests. These efforts did not yield any response.
Marvin’s mother had been responsible for coordinating the witnesses’ participation. During today’s hearing, Marvin’s lawyer informed the court that it was no longer realistic to expect the witnesses to appear through her coordination and formally requested the trial to continue without their testimony.
Accepting the request, the presiding judge ruled that the case would proceed without hearing from the absent defense witnesses.
One Witness Testifies for the Defense
Out of the five proposed witnesses, only one appeared before the court. The witness, a Filipino national currently working in the Maldives, testified that Marvin was known to be friendly, sociable, and kind.
According to the witness, Marvin was someone who easily built friendships and was well liked by those around him. The court recorded the testimony as part of the defense evidence.
Closing Statements Scheduled for February
Following the conclusion of the evidence stage, the judge scheduled a hearing on February 14 to review the evidence and hear closing statements.
The court also decided to merge the trials of Marvin Vargas and Haleemath Lamha, which had been proceeding separately until now. Since the evidentiary phase in Lamha’s case has also been completed, both defendants will present closing arguments on the same date.
Charges Against Marvin and Lamha
Marvin Vargas is charged with intentional murder in connection with the death of his wife, Mary Grace, who was found dead in October 2021. Prosecutors allege that Mary was killed by being attacked on the head and neck and then suffocated.
According to the state, Mary was initially brought to IGMH with claims that she had died by hanging. However, police became suspicious after examining her body and the scene where the hanging allegedly occurred. Marvin, who was employed as a nurse at IGMH at the time, was arrested shortly after.
Haleemath Lamha, who worked as a nurse in the hospital’s emergency room, was arrested later. The prosecution alleges that Lamha was involved in a romantic relationship with Marvin and that the murder stemmed from disputes linked to that relationship.
Lamha is charged with complicity in murder, performing an act without the required permit, and unauthorized control over another person’s property.
