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Maldivian man sent to jail for not sending daughters to school

Lamya Abdulla
11 June 2022, MVT 09:52
[FILE] Criminal Court photographed from outside: the man had said he did not know not sending children to school was a crime -- Photo: Mihaaru
Lamya Abdulla
11 June 2022, MVT 09:52

A father sentenced to jail for not sending his daughters to school for many years and conducting the marriage ceremony for one of his children on his own.

The case first became an issue in 2019, when it was found out he was not sending his three daughters to school, and had married off one of them in 2018, in a ceremony done by himself. He was sentenced to one year and four months in jail.

When the case came to the state’s attention, the children had grown significantly without any formal education. The then 17 year old girl was sent to school up until grade 3 (age nine), while the 12 year old was sent to school up until UKG (age six). The man had an adult child who was 20 years old, who had said she was sent to school up until grade 5 (age 11).

The man told the court that the children were not sent to school because the they were taught in a co-ed system, and school would play songs and music as well. He also said that he had asked for amendments and that the school’s actions were not accommodating prayer times for the students either. However, he said that he was not aware that it was a crime to not students to school.

He also told the court that he arranged his daughter's marriage by himself because it was not against the religion. He said there was no evidence this was not permissible.

But he was charged with obstruction of justice and not obtaining permission to do something that requires lawful permits.

Judge Ali Nadheem ruled that he had no authority to obstruct the education of his children due to his personal views. He said that while he was not educated in Islam, he did not try to find out what the correct religious take on the matter either.

After investigating the issue surrounding the case of not sending his children to school, the judge decided to sentence the maximum possible penalty for obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to one year in prison.

The man had requested his sentence be changed to a fine. However, Judge Nadheem refused to do so the as man's actions "cannot recover the future, education and upbringing of missing children".

Regarding the issue of conducting the unauthorized marriage, he was sentenced to four months and 24 days in jail. However, when the time he had already spent under police custody was deducted, he had to serve one year, three months and 20 days in jail, for the combined offence.

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