Case of 13yo child "bride": Hammadh found guilty, slapped with 14-year prison sentence

Ismail Hammadh has been slapped with a 14-year prison sentence, after being found guilty of raping a minor as part of a sham marriage.

Hammadh was arrested and charged with raping a minor or touching a minor with sexual intent, after the case of his 13-year-old child "bride" from Madduvari island of Raa atoll emerged in November 2019.

During the hearing at the Criminal Court on Thursday, Hammadh was found guilty of the charge and slapped with a sentence behind bars for 14 years. This is the maximum punishment for the crime he is accused of.

The jail term for the accused is nine years, four months and 15 days, after deducting the time he has served during the trial.

The special protection of children from sexual offences Act includes the offence of touching a child's body with a sexual intent.

The law specifies that anyone found guilty of “touching a minor with sexual intentions” will face up to 10 to 14 years in prison.

The trial was held behind closed doors as the case involved a child sexual abuse victim.

The issue of the 13-year-old child bride came into the spotlight after Hammaadh was attacked on a sea-cucumber fishing boat outside of Maalhos island in Alif Alif atoll on 21 November 2019.

The child rapist was hospitalized until 30 November 2019 and was arrested upon discharge regarding the 13-year-old child bride’s case.

The child gave birth since and DNA tests have proven that the child is Hammadh’s.

The attack on Hammadh is to have stemmed from a “disagreement” with his crewmates, and Ismail Asif, 30, was arrested and remanded in connection with the attack.