Parliamentary group leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Vilimale' constituency lawmaker Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik has voiced his strong rebuttal over statements and claims made on social media platforms regarding his ties with the alleged rape suspect.
Following the news of a 19 year old woman sexually victimized by an artist at his studio on January 3, several social media users had accused one Hassan Faiz of the act. Faiz is reported to be the younger sibling of Ahmed Nihan, which made the news all the more serious and sensational at the same time.
The apparent rape victim had also suspected her culprit to be a relative of a well known political figure.
While many social media activists and users have claimed Faiz will walk scot-free due to his close family ties with Ahmed Nihan, speculating the politician to use his status and influence to obstruct and bend the law the lawmaker had rebuked these statements.
According to Nihan the alleged rape suspect, who is his brother had long since severed his ties with the lawmaker, were not even in talking terms. Nihan claims that he was informed of the case through a third party.
Furthermore Nihan had also explained that he does not have to justify for the actions of another individual simply over his political status and his natural blood relation with the suspect.
"He is not under my guardianship and neither does he keep contact with me. He does not live anywhere that I know of or have any ownership or guardianship of and I don't even know whether he commit the crime or not. Him and I, we don't talk at all," said Nihan adding that as long as he is in political designation his name will be dragged through the mud over the actions of anyone related to him.
Nihan had stressed that the crime of rape should be penalized or punished in the harshest of manners while he also emphasized that family ties will not obstruct him from urging relevant authorities to apprehend and process anyone found guilty of a crime.
"Which political figure had earlier condemned such an act of one of their own, so publicly? But I do not hesitate to claim that it does not matter if the culprits are my own parents or my family, I will be the first one urging the authorities to take steps against them in the most strict manner possible," Nihan asserted.
Furthermore the young artist claimed she was offered MVR 16,000 to keep the incident discreet from authorities.
The victim had reportedly visited the venue to conduct a part of her art project when she was sexually molested by the suspected individual who also is significantly known as an artist.
The victim of the case, spoke with Avas Online and detailed her misfortune at the records studio. She claimed that her continued efforts to escape from the venue and her perpetrator were futile as he had allegedly raped her.
Furthermore the young artist claimed she was offered MVR 16,000 to keep the incident discreet from authorities.
Victimized female artist recalled the events of the night to Avas Online and confirmed she stayed at the police station to give her statement as late as 06:30hrs of the following day. During this time she took the authorities to the site of the crime.
Reports have confirmed the rape culprit's DNA were collected from the victim's clothes as part of evidence.
Amid the news making headlines a police media official had corroborated the news of receiving a rape case involving a high-profile individual, however further details were not disclosed.
Maldives registers a surprisingly high number of sexual molestation and abuse cases with a staggering 417 cases reported to authorities in 2017. It has been only six days since 2018 had started but 3 cases of sexual abuse had already been lodged at the authorities.
