Woman accused of covering up sexual abuse case escorted out of Maafushi

Maldives Police Service escorted a woman accused of covering up the sexual abuse of her young daughter in the hands of her husband out of K. Maafushi on Saturday after angry protesters gathered outside her residence demanding that she leave the island.

Maafushi Council president Usman Rasheed told Sun the woman was transported out of Maafushi on a police speedboat on Saturday night.

Usman said that the woman was seen leaving the island on the police speedboat, but that he is unaware as to where she was taken.

The police arrested a 57-year-old man for the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl in Maafushi on Friday. The suspect, who was remanded in custody of the police for 15 days on Saturday, was identified by the police as the stepfather of the victim.

The victim was taken into the custody of the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services, while her mother, who local residents allege is complicit in covering up the abuse, had remained in Maafushi.

Maafushi Council president Usman told Sun that local residents gathered outside the woman’s residence condemning her alleged complicity and demanding that she leave the island on Saturday night.

“Maafushi residents are protesting against the woman who continues to live freely in Maafushi after allowing for her daughter to be abused by her stepfather, demanding that she be expelled from the island,” said Usman, in an earlier interview.

“The protest is not violent. Their demand is that allowing her to continue living here exposed the island and the children in this island to danger,” he said.

Usman said the woman is originally from Th. Kinbidhoo, and moved to the island four years back, following her marriage to her current husband, who is a resident of Maafushi.

The sexual abuse of the 10-year-old girl was reported to the police on Wednesday.

The case came to light after the doctor who treated her at the health center for a urinary tract infection suspected she may have been subjected to sexual abuse, and reported the case to the police.

Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Offenders, which establishes special provisions to deal with child sex offenders both at investigative and trial stages, prescribes a prison sentence of 15 to 18 years, if the person who carried out the offense is in a position of authority over the victim.

The police have noted an increase in cases involving child abuse and exploitation, some of which involve child victims with disabilities, and have advised parents and guardians to increase their vigilance.

Those with information regarding crimes against children have been urged to call the Maldives Police Service’s Family and Child Protection Wing at 3000600 or the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services hotline 1412.