Friday 03 Jul 2026
A drawing against child abuse.
The High Court on Thursday ordered a retrial in a case involving a man accused of molesting a child.
The case concerns an incident that occurred on an island near Male'. The prosecution had charged an elderly man in connection with the offense. After the island’s magistrate court ruled that the charges were not proven, the prosecution appealed the decision at the High Court.
On Thursday, a panel of High Court judges unanimously decided that the case must be heard again and ordered a retrial.
The case was heard at the High Court behind closed doors. Sexual acts committed against a child are considered a serious offense under the Special Procedures Against Child Sexual Offenders Act. The punishment for such an offense ranges between 20 and 25 years in prison, one of the most severe penalties under the Act.
