Male’, Maldives – Former Chairman of Maldivian telecommunications company, Dhiraagu and the former State Minister for the Finance Ministry of maldives, Mohamed Ashmalee arrested for being involved in the bust of the Mt. Lavinia Child Sex Trafficking Ring has been summoned to the court once again for an identification parade.
At an identification parade, the victim or the witnesses of the incident confirms that the accused people were actually among those who were involved in the act.
So far, over 40 people, including the child’s mother, have been arrested over different accusations of being involved in the case. Ashmalee was arrested on July 04 and since then, he was remanded in custody until June 16. His remand date is expected to extend in today’s hearing.
While Ashamalee has been accused of being a customer of the illicit activity that was conducted using the 15 year old child for prostitution and for helping with the networking, his lawyer claimed that Ashmalee only meant to book an oil massage after seeing an online advertisement, and had not known of any underage associations.
Sri Lankan Police informs that Ashmalee paid Rs 20,000 for the act and was later seen entering a hotel with the victim. The manager of this hotel was also arrested.
Other people arrested over the Mt. Lavinia Child Sex Trafficking Ring include of a ruling party politician in Sri Lanka’s north-central region, a Buddhist monk, a prominent gem dealer and a merchant navy captain.
According to the Police, the child’s mother is involved among those who have the strongest charges against them. Other people majorly accused of the illicit act consists of an auto-driver, car driver, pope jewellery business owner, a captain of a ship and several crew members, and the Deputy-Chairman of the Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha.
Police informed that over a three months period, the child was handed to multiple people and taken advantage of in return for money. Intercourse with a minor under 18 is considered rape under Sri Lankan law and has a maximum jail term of 20 years.
