Immigration: Man jailed in UK for sexual assault not Maldivian

The Maldives Immigration has clarified that Sundaralingam Koodalingam, a masseuse employed at a London massage parlor and accused of sexually assaulting a British actress, is not a Maldivian national.

Reports from foreign news sources indicate that the incident occurred in March 2023 at a London massage establishment.

Koodalingam, 36, was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to four years in prison at Southwark Crown Court in London this past Wednesday. Certain foreign news outlets had suggested that Koodalingam "is originally from the Maldives but was educated in India."

In an official statement released on Thursday, the Immigration Department affirmed that Koodalingam is not registered as a Maldivian citizen with any pertinent government agency.

According to various British newspapers, citing court proceedings, the unnamed actress testified that Koodalingam had inappropriately touched and sexually assaulted her during her visit to the massage parlor, necessitating subsequent psychiatric treatment.

London news reports further state that the actress, in her victim impact statement to the court, expressed the difficulty she experienced in disclosing the incident to her friends, describing herself as "fundamentally changed by the incident."