Sunny Umar remanded for 30 days

The Criminal Court today ordered the remand of Hussain Sunny Umar, a key figure at "The Travel Guys Private Limited" who was arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse, for 30 days.

The Prosecutor General's (PG) Office stated that they requested a 30-day remand for Sunny Umar under the Special Provisions on Sexual Abuse of Children Act. The Court granted the request and remanded Sunny for 30 days.

The PG Office also stated that as the investigation progresses, they intend to seek extensions of the remand period and eventually a court order for his detention until the conclusion of the trial, in accordance with the law.

The police have confirmed that the allegation of sexual abuse against Sunny Umar, a prominent figure in a Halal Tourism brand travel agency and media outlet, was filed by the child's family. While he is suspected of abusing multiple children, the case specifically relates to one child.

Upon the emergence of the allegations, it was suspected that Umar attempted to leave the Maldives. He was initially brought in for questioning but released after promising cooperation.

However, he was later re-arrested under a court order for allegedly trying to flee the country. The Travel Guys, his associated company, announced the decision to seize his shares in light of the allegations, clarifying that these shares have not been sold and that Umar had no direct involvement in the management of their operations, which are run by an international team.