Two years after local actor Mohammad Yunan and his wife Fathimath Rihula were arrested in connection with a child sexual abuse case, Rihula has been placed under house arrest.
The couple was arrested on October 4, 2020, after being accused of having sexual relations with a 15-year-old boy. Even though charges were filed against them in December 2020, they have still not been tried in court.
The Maldives Correctional Service confirmed that Rihula was moved to house arrest under a court order. However, they did not specify a reason.
Even though the couple was detained in different jails, they were allowed to meet in accordance with the law.
Between 2019 and 2020, the couple was charged with multiple counts of sexual violence; Yunan has nine charges, while Rihula has five charges levied against her.