Suspect in the case of sexual assault of elderly, slapped with four counts of charges

The Prosecutor General has pressed charges against an individual accused of sexually assaulting three elderly women in southernmost Addu City.

Charged is Mohamed Simhan, native to Meedhoo district of the southernmost city and four counts of charges were raised against the 30-year-old under accusations of sexually assaulting three different women over 60 years of age.

He was charged of trespassing, under Section 230 of the Penal Code which states that a person commits the offense if they “enter or remains in a place knowing that they have no consent or license to do so” as well as for assault under Section 120, which states that a person commits the offense for “touching or injuring a person or putting such people in fear or imminent bodily injury without their consent”.

Further, he was charged under sections 40 and 19 of the sexual offenses act, related to the intention of committing crimes related to sexual abuse. The case is being heard by the Meedhoo Magistrate Court.

If proven guilty of the sexual abuse charges, Simhan stands to face a jail sentence of no less than 10 years if convicted under the Maldives laws. He stands a longer prison sentence should he be convicted under the Penal Code.

Maldives Police Service (MPS) concluded the investigation into the case and sought charges against the accused, from the Prosecutor General’s Office on Thursday.

On June 16, the Meedhoo Magistrate Court had ordered for the rape suspect to be transferred to house arrest.

The PGO requested the court to review the case, and it issued a fresh order to remand the man at a location decided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, on Wednesday.

The man was arrested on May 28 under a court order, after the authority received reports of him attempting to sexually assault a 64-year-old woman in Meedhoo district of the southernmost city.

The same day the man had sexually assaulted two other women, a 66-year-old and a 65-year-old.