PG Office discloses info related to child abuse case

The Prosecutor General’s Office has revealed information related to a child abuse case during a parliamentary committee proceeding. 

By law, information related to child abuse cases is classified and made confidential in order to protect the victim. The PG Office revealed information related to such a case in a committee meeting held yesterday which was broadcast live. 

The parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Gender held discussions with officials from the PG Office in regards to the amendment to the law making it mandatory for the collection of samples and forensic analysis of the clothes of victims using rape evidence kits. 

The meeting was attended by Public Prosecutor Fathimath Nabaha who gave an example of a case when making her point regarding the importance of written consent in cases where evidence is to be collected in such a manner. Going into details of the case, the public prosecutor revealed the name of the victim which she said that many in attendance would have been aware of the case. 

She also revealed details regarding the situation of the victim and even the perpetrator of the case before stating the events that happened after the incident. These revelations were not halted by Committee chair Jeehaan Mahmood for unknown reasons. The Sexual Offenses Act of the Maldives prohibits such revelations and provides the Gender Ministry to take the matter of such violations to the court which can land a fine between MVR 10,000-15,000.

A legal expert speaking with Sun, said that the disclosures made in the committee yesterday was sufficient for violations of the articles against such disclosures in the Sexual Offenses Act. The expert also said that the actions violated the laws related to the protection of child rights in the Maldives.