Unrest breaks out as Sunny is taken to his wife’s home for evidence collection

Yesterday, unrest broke out at H. Andhunge when police brought Hussain Sunny Umar to the residence, where his wife lives, to search for evidence in a child sexual abuse investigation. 

The visit, conducted under a court order, was met with hostility from family members who were angered by his presence in a home where some of his alleged victims were reportedly present. Family members expressed frustration that police entered without prior notice and claimed they were not shown the court warrant, though police proceeded with the search under security.

According to family members and circulating videos, the situation escalated as relatives and neighbors gathered, shouting for his immediate removal and asserting that a person accused of such crimes should not be brought back to the house. 

"We didn't even see them enter the house. We only found out they had arrived when the security guard told us, 'Sunny Umar has entered the house.' By the time we got there, his shoes and belongings were already left outside," a resident of the house said.

When police escorted Sunny out roughly an hour later, the crowd attempted to confront him physically. Videos show bystanders lunging at him and attempting to strike him while he was under police escort, requiring additional officers to be deployed to the scene to provide protection and manage the crowd.

Police confirmed that a house in Malé was searched under a court order to gather evidence in the case against Sunny Umar. They also stated that Sunny Umar remains in police custody.

Sunny Umar, a prominent figure in the travel industry and a senior figure of the Maldives Halal Travel brand, was initially arrested at Velana International Airport in early December 2025 while attempting to leave the country. Following a 30-day remand, the Criminal Court ordered on January 2, 2026, that he remain in detention until the end of his trial. 

The case involves allegations of sexually abusing minors within his wife's family, a matter that first surfaced on social media before being officially reported to the authorities.