Suspected child sex offender appointed as deputy minister

Ahmed Shan, who was charged in 2017 with a sexual offense against a young girl, has been appointed as a deputy minister.

The information published on the President’s Office website shows Shan is a deputy minister at the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure. The ministry has five other deputy ministers, excluding Shan.

Shan, an attorney, was arrested from a guesthouse in an island in southern Maldives on October 18, 2017, where he was found with a 16-year-old girl.

The case against him was dismissed by the lower court, but the High Court ordered the court to reopen the case on July 8, 2021, following appeal.

Shan was charged with unlawful sexual relations with a minor.

The court has yet to issue a judgement in the case.

Shan had previously dismissed the case, alleging that he was framed.