Six ex-employees at Kudakudhinge Hiyaa charged over abuse

Charges have been raised against six former employees at the children’s state care facility, ‘Kudakudhinge Hiyaa’, over abuse allegations.

The Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office in a statement released on Sunday said that the charges were raised against the six men and filed at the Criminal Court on December 9. The PG Office also noted that the case was brought to its attention by the presidential Commission to Inquire into Child Rights Violations.

The commission forwarded the case for prosecution back in November, seeking charges against 11 former employees at the state care facility.

The commission said that it had noticed the 2017 case during an inquiry, where former employees “physically and mentally” abused the children at the care facility. Noting that the matter was reported to the Maldives Police Service in 2018, the commission stressed that action is yet to be taken against any of those involved.

The Prosecutor General’s Office had issued an order back in October, requesting the police to expedite the investigations into the case. This was Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem’s second “order to investigate” to police.

As per Article 223 (f) The Prosecutor General’s responsibilities and powers include “to order any investigation that he deems desirable into complaints of criminal activity or into any other criminal activity of which he becomes aware”.

The PG Office on Sunday announced that charges have been pressed against Mohamed Shareef, Hussain Ahmed, Ali Ahsan, Najeeh Ahmed, Ahmed Vanoodh and Hussain Hamdhoon, over the abusive behaviour towards children under the age of 18 at the facility.

PG Shameem also revealed that his will be joining the prosecution team at court for the trial.