The Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced a man to 15 years over sexually abusing a minor related to him.
He was convicted of sexually abusing a child while being in a position of trust, four years after he molested the victim in the woods on an island of Raa Atoll in November 2016.
Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem hailed the ruling in a tweet, stating that court found the perpetrator guilty based on DNA evidence, the victim’s statement, and medical and social assessment reports.
"I'm particularly proud of the contact PGO prosecutors and Victim Support Unit had with the victim and her family", he added, revealing that the victim received regular updates on the trial.
I'm particularly proud of the contact PGO prosecutors and Victim Support Unit had with the victim and her family. Victim was informed promptly of the conviction and updated regularly during the long trial too. This is how we want to do this in every case, insha allah.
— Hussain Shameem (@HuShameem) November 10, 2020
The conviction comes amidst multiple reports of child sexual abuse, grooming and rape this year, with public outrage soaring over the government's meagre record of arresting and convicting perpetrators of sexual offences despite several promises to support the rights of children and women.
Meanwhile, Maldives Police Service continue to urge the public to report all such cases to the police's Family and Child Protection Wing at +960 3000600 or the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services at 1412.
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