PG recommends launching exploitation probe upon receiving missing children’s report

Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem, on Thursday, has recommenced launching an exploitation investigation upon receiving missing children’s reports as the children in question could be being exploited for crimes.

Shameem published a guideline on Thursday titled ‘Guideline on investigating and pressing charges in cases involving exploitation of children’.

Commenting on the guideline, Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office)’s Spokesperson, Public Prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu said PG Shameem recommended declaring missing children’s reports as exploitation cases followed by the immediate commencement of investigation in the guideline.

The prosecutor general has instructed completing all aspects of an investigation in such cases in his guideline, including gathering all information regarding the missing child and obtaining CCTV footage, if there is any.

As per Article 122 of the Children’s Rights Protection Act, exploiting children is recruiting or grooming a child to commit a criminal offense to the benefit of the adult committing the act, by coercion, intimidation or deception.

However, there are difficulties in investigating and pressing charges against suspects in these cases.

PG Office states that the guideline will pave the way for more comprehensive investigation and action in cases pertaining to the exploitation of children while providing a clear picture to other stakeholders in the sector regarding policies followed by the police in investigating and seeking charges in such cases. 

Often when children are reported missing by their families, they usually return home on their own accord once public announcements are made seeking to locate them.