High Court dismisses stale child sexual abuse appeals following prosecution’s request

Two cases of alleged sexual abuse of children within family settings and by individuals in positions of trust have been dismissed by the High Court, following requests from the state prosecution.

The two cases, which were appeals against decisions by the Criminal Court and filed in the High Court in 2023, were both presided over by Justice Deebanaz Fahumy.

One case, involving a man from a northern Maldivian island accused of sexual conduct with a child in his family, was dismissed on Sunday. The prosecution sought to withdraw this case on the grounds that the incident occurred eight years ago, and hearings had not commenced even two years after the appeal was filed. The High Court's dismissal came two months after the prosecutor's office submitted its petition.

The second case, dismissed last week, involved a man from a central Maldivian island accused of sexually assaulting a child while in a trusted position. The prosecution requested its dismissal citing that ten years had passed since the incident and the case had remained unresolved in the High Court for four years. Additionally, the victim and the victim's mother reportedly no longer wished to testify. This case was dismissed on last Wednesday.

The dismissal of these two child abuse cases, at the request of the prosecution when they became stale appeals, raises concerns about the pursuit of justice for the abuse victims. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court this week upheld a 15-year jail sentence for another case of child sexual assault.