Minivan News 16 April 2009
Maryam Omidi:

A 54-year-old man was arrested yesterday for sexually assaulting a 14-yar-old boy in an abandoned house on Seenu atoll Hulhudhoo. Police conducted a small operation to arrest Ali Futha from Hulhudhoo following a tip-off from a member of the public.

Although he does not have a criminal record, police suspect Futha of being involved in sexually abusing four other boys, all under the age of 14. Inspector Abdulla Nawaz, acting head of the southern region, said he hoped there was sufficient evidence to forward the case to the prosecutor general’s office.

“But, we are not getting a positive response from the four boys…they are small boys and very much afraid, so we are not pressing them,” he said.

Nawaz described the four boys as “vulnerable” and said “they mostly just roam around the neighbourhood”. He added police officers from the child protection unit would be travelling to the island soon to help with the case.

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