Malé, Maldives – The Hulhumalé Magistrate’s Court has dismissed the case of a foreign woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted on a safari in the Hulhumalé bay.
In June, 2020, the prosecution charged Abdullah Shan with sexually assaulting a Kenyan woman on a safari. He is the husband of Jeehan Mahmood, Member of Parliament for Hinnavaru Constituency. She also serves as the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Gender Issues.
The case was dismissed by the court late last month after it ruled that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case, the Prosecutor General’s Office said.
Two others, including Shan, were sent to the prosecutor’s office for prosecution. However, the two men were not charged due to lack of evidence.
Shan was charged with sexual harassment and assault, as well as delivering threats and intimidation.
The 27-year-old victim was reportedly invited aboard the safari by a friend, and was later sexually harassed and assaulted by two men. After the woman jumped off the vessel in an effort to escape, she was picked up by a dinghy and transported to the jetty.
The two men, both aged 39, were arrested at the scene. However, they were later released with the authorities claiming, based on the information collected, that detaining them until the investigation concluded would be unnecessary.
Although initial reports by local media state that the victim was raped aboard the vessel, and that authorities released the suspects after pressure from politicians, the police maintained the claim that the victim was harassed and not raped.
Several members of the public have expressed skepticism over the media reports, citing the parallels between initial media reports and official police statements as well as the accounts claiming that the woman was under duress at the time of the interview, and was intimidated, threatened with deportation and presented with bribes.
Authorities came under fire by the public for releasing the suspects at such an early stage of the investigation and withholding information about the alleged perpetrators.
