Court has granted a remand extension to the man arrested in connection to the rape of a 19 year old woman in the capital Male earlier this month.
Hassan Faiz was initially remanded for 15 days before the court extended it by another 10 days, police said.
The victim had initially told Avas that her attacker was a member of a powerful political family who had sexually assaulted her January 3 when she had visited his studio for an art project.
Faiz is the younger brother of Vilimale' constituency lawmaker and parliamentary group leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik.
The teary victim said she had valiantly tried to escape her attacker before she was overpowered and raped.
After the alleged rape, the attacker had offered her MVR16,000 in return for her silence. But immediately after the assault, she had gone to the hospital with the help of some her friend before notifying the police.
Police had taken her statement after the hospital had done the tests and she had detailed her ordeal at the police station until 6.00am the next morning. She said the police had taken her clothing as evidence.
Somebody needs to speak up against the current rape culture in the Maldives. He needs to pay for what he did. I won't keep quiet. He raped me and I want justice. I'm speaking up for all the sexual assault victims who have been threatened into silence. Just because he's politically well connected or is from a powerful family, he can't get away with what he has done," the brave young woman told Avas.
