Man arrested for grooming 14-year-old girl remanded in custody for 15 days

A man arrested from southern Maldives for grooming a 14-year-old girl has been remanded in custody of the police for 15 days.

The suspect, identified as a 35-year-old Maldivian man, is accused of grooming his 14-year-old victim over an extended period of time, encouraging her to engage in sexual activities, and attempting to have sexual relations with her.

The case was lodged with the police on September 30, and the suspect was arrested under court order on Monday, October 5.

He was presented before a court for his remand hearing on Tuesday.

The court has remanded him in to custody of the police for 15 days, during which he will be kept detained in a facility determined by the Home Affairs Ministry.

The crime took place in an island under the jurisdiction of the South Central Police Division (Th. Atoll an L. Atoll).

The police do not release information regarding the island or atoll where the crime took place in order to protect the identity of child victims.

Sexual grooming of children is criminalized under Article 123 of Child Rights Protection Act, and carries a penalty of 10 to 15 years in prison.

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