A man has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse against his own stepdaughter on an island north of the country.
Speaking to "The Press", the media official at the Police said that it had received the report of a man from an island in the North Police Region (that includes Noonu, Raa, Baa, and Lhaviyani atolls) allegedly sexually abusing his 12-year-old stepdaughter.
The media official continued that the suspect from arrested yesterday under a court order and that he was a 38-year-old local man.
Police said that they were further investigating the case.
Sources have said that the man taken under custody performed the duties of an Imam at a mosque on the island.
For the past few years, Police have been prioritizing the crimes committed against minors and children with sexual crimes given special importance.
Police have also been working to protect the identity of victims of such heinous crimes and have withheld information about the victim’s island or atoll or where the crimes happened in multiple cases.
Investigations and court procedures against alleged child abusers have been fast-tracked on several occasions with police adamant on revealing the identities of the suspects.
