Two arrested in connection with disappearance of 14-year-old boy

Police have arrested two people in connection with the disappearance of a 14-year-old boy who was found after going missing for two weeks.

Shaim Abdulla ran away from Kudakudhinge Hiyaa orphanage in Villimalé on June 18.

The police searched three houses and reviewed CCTV footage in connection with Shaim’s disappearance, after urging the public to provide any information that might be used to find him.

Shaim was finally found on Monday.

Police Spokeswoman Izmia Zahir told the Maldives Independent that a 46-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday and a 23-year-old man was arrested on Friday in connection with the disappearance. The woman and the man have been remanded in custody for six and ten days respectively, Izmia said.

The minister of gender, family and social services reported that the child was brought under state care from “an environment of crime”.

At a press conference, Gender Minister Shidhatha Shareef disclosed the minor’s entire case history in an apparent attempt to justify how a case of child neglect first reported in 2009 could have evolved into the child’s later disappearance from state care.