GDh. Atoll, Maldives – Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Mohamed Ahmed, currently in police custody due to suspected child sex crimes has won the GDh. Gadhdhoo Local Council Presidency.
Mohamed Ahmed who was previously the council President in 2015, won against competing Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) candidate, Mohamed Rishan by a difference of 85 votes. He won the council President’s seat with 737 voes while Rishaan got 652 votes.
Mohamed Ahmed has been charged with sexually assaulting a minor in 2015 during his council Presidency; additionally charged with exposing a minor to pornographic material, possession of pornographic material in 2020.
The Gadhdhoo Magistrate court has not started hearings for the cases against Mohamed Ahmed.
PPM and PNC released a statement on 18 March 2021 addressing this matter. In the statement, the party stated that the legal team of PPM is investigating the issue regarding the charges against their candidate for Gadhdhoo constituency. The opposition cited the Elections Commission (EC) President Ahmed Shareef’s statement to the press that having charges against an alleged crime is not grounds for prohibition from running for office.
The opposition coalition said that they did not condone and will not tolerate sexual crimes and will take action. However, there were no further updates from the matter from the opposition parties. There has also been no progress of the cases at the GDh. Gadhdhoo Magistrate court.
