Former undersecretary Hoara Ibbe sentenced to 10 years in prison

Former president Mohamed Nasheed's undersecretary at the President’s Office, Ibrahim Rasheed (Hoara Ibbe) has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for having sexual relations with a minor.

The Criminal Court sentence issued today said that despite Ibrahim Rasheed’s denial of charges, witness statements prove that he had sexual relations with a minor.

Ibrahim Rasheed was charged under Article 3 (a) and (c) of the Act on Extraordinary standards governing the penalties for abuse of children.

Article 3 (a) of the act states that it is a crime to touch a minor with sexual intentions and Article 3 (b) of the act states that if a man is convicted of such a crime, the sentence shall be imprisonment for a period of 10 to 14 years.

Police arrested Ibrahim Rasheed on 6 December 2012 from a house named G. Maavasge where he was found naked with a 17-year-old girl. Ibrahim Rasheed married the girl in March this year.