Ex-minister allowed to travel abroad on “medical referral” amid ongoing sexual assault trial

The government of Maldives has confirmed that former Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed had been allowed to leave the country and travel to the United Kingdom following approval from the Criminal Court, which was granted based on a doctor's assessment that Ali Waheed was ill and needed to be referred abroad for medical treatment.

The former minister’s passport was withheld to prevent him from traveling abroad following the sexual assault allegations against him. While charges have since been raised against him and the trial has commence, the Criminal Court decided to return his passport to him and allow him to travel in light of the doctor's assessment of Ali Waheed's health.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Spokesperson for the President's Office Mabrook Azeez clarified that Ali Waheed left Maldives for the UK on Tuesday as the order to withhold his passport had been repealed by the Criminal Court.

Employees of the tourism ministry at the time Ali Waheed was in office alleged that he had continued to harass them sexually over a long period of time, and that it had occurred while they were traveling with him to resorts on official trips.

Ali Waheed was removed from his position as Minister for Tourism after several employees of the ministry voiced complaints of having experienced sexual misconduct on his behalf, with MPS confirming that 15 witness statements had been recorded in relation to the case. Ali Waheed was stripped of his position as Minister of Tourism on 9 July 2020.

As a high-profile politician with an active trial against him in court, it is unlikely that Ali Waheed will return to the Maldives in the near future, especially due to the sensitive nature of the charges being raised against him.