Hulhumale’, Maldives – Maldives Police Service has revealed that the institution is currently investigating the case of 2 individuals who sexually abused a 15 year old boy in Hulhumale’.
Police said that this case was reported yesterday evening and that no one has been arrested yet regarding this case. However, it was stated that case is being further investigated.
As per the information received, the couple accused of sexually abusing the minor are local actors Mohamed Yunaan and his wife Fathmath Rihula. Earlier today, several people gathered in front of their residence, protesting and demanding that justice be served and demanding that the couple get arrested for their crimes.
A police vehicle was reportedly seen transporting the couple away from the area, which the Police later revealed was not an arrest, but simply an escort away from the area as the couple had requested for protection.
The number of sexual assault and sexual abuse cases of minors has been on the rise, with major cases having have been reported to relevant authorities over the course of 2020, including 36 cases of sexual abuse against children reported in the month of August alone.
With this, survivor support movements have surfaced, including protests held in Male’ and other parts of the Maldives calling for sexual abuse and sexual violence to be met with harsher punishments, after the ‘Safari Rape’ case. The government officially delineated rape and declared sexual abuse of children as serious criminal offenses on 23rd September 2020, with the ratification of the Criminal Procedure Act.
