An individual from Laamu atoll has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the High Court after being found guilty of sexually abusing his niece over a period of 12 years. The abuse took place between 2009 and October 2021.
The man was initially acquitted by a magistrate court of charges related to child sexual abuse while in a position of trust, prompting an appeal to the High Court.
In the ruling delivered yesterday, the High Court found that the victim had confided in her brother, revealing that her uncle had inappropriately touched her while she was asleep and had shown her pornographic material. Despite the victim only reporting the initial abuse years later, her detailed recounting of the sexual abuse that occurred in October 2021 was consistent and without contradictions.
The High Court dismissed the testimonies of the accused's wife and other defense witnesses, as they lacked supporting evidence. The court noted that there was corroborating evidence supporting the victim's account, including the psychological harm caused by the abuse.
As a result, the three-judge panel unanimously overturned the magistrate court's acquittal, sentencing the individual to 15 years in prison. Taking into account the time already served in remand, the man will serve the remaining 14 years.
The case was presided over by High Court judges Mohamed Faisal, Fathimath Faruheeza, and Mohamed Niyaz, with Judge Faisal leading the bench.
