Alleged child molester Sunny Umar remanded in custody for 30 days

Dr. Hussain Sunny Umar, a leading figure behind the travel news under the Maldives Halal Travel brand, who stands accused of sexual abuse of multiple minors, has been remanded in custody for 30 days by the Criminal Court on Wednesday.

Sunny Umar was escorted to Maldives Police Service’s Family and Child Protection (FCP) Unit on Monday for questioning over the allegations upon his return to the Maldives from overseas.

He was later arrested on Monday while at the airport while trying to flee the country.

Although he was released briefly, Sunny Umar was rearrested on Tuesday under a court order on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor.

Sunny Umar has been remanded in custody for 30 days upon presentation before the Criminal Court for a remand hearing.

Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) states it intends to seek an extension of his remand, or remand until the trial ends, as permitted by law, based on progress in the investigation.

Media reports allege that Sunny sexually assaulted three children related to his wife. Among the victims are a girl and a boy, both under the age of 18. Certain sources also reported that Sunny had reportedly left for New Delhi, India, at the face of the allegations.

Travel Guys, Sunny’s company, issued a statement on Saturday recognizing the seriousness of the allegations and underscoring that such conduct is unacceptable. The company pledged full cooperation with law enforcement and clarified that the alleged behavior is not connected to its business operations or policies.