Spouse of rape suspect suspended from job at State-run children’s shelter

The spouse of one the men held for the rape of a toddler in Southern Maldives, a woman who works at Fiyavathi, the State-run children’s shelter located in suburban Hulhumale’, has been placed under suspension.

A Gender Ministry official who spoke to Sun confirmed an employee at Fiyavathi had been instructed “to stay home in connection to an ongoing investigation” on Friday. The official declined to elaborate.

Sun has been informed the woman is the victim’s grandmother from her father’s side.

Her husband, a 62-year-old muezzin at a local mosque, and her 81-year-old father-in-law were both arrested as suspects in the in the rape of her granddaughter, a child who has yet to reach two years of age, on Friday.

Her 33-year-old son – the father of the victim – has been arrested for negligence.

Her husband has since been suspended from his position as a muezzin.

All three men have been remanded to 15 days in jail, and are currently being held at Dhoonidhoo Custodial.

The victim has been brought to Male’ and placed into the custody of her grandmother from her mother’s side.

The heinous crime has sparked protests across Maldives.