Court broke the law by dismissing sex abuse charges against 75-year-old

A court broke the law by dismissing charges against a 75-year-old man accused of sexually abusing four sisters, the Prosecutor General’s Office said Thursday.

The Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo magistrate court’s decision to throw out the charges violated the constitution, as well as clauses in the the Prosecutor General’s law and criminal procedures law. It cited clause 94 and 92 of the criminal procedures law, and clause 15 of the Prosecutor General’s law.

An appeal was filed at the High Court on Wednesday.

The charges were thrown out last week without giving a reason. But local media reported that the court said it was because the deadline to press charges had ended.

The man was charged in February but a court hearing has not been held so far. The case was first submitted to a court in the man’s island in Gaaf Dhaal atoll, but was transferred to Thinadhoo court in June.

He also faces an adultery charge for having sex with the mother of the four girls.

He was released in February after three months in custody, having been arrested in November.

In July the Prosecutor General’s Office also decided to press charges against the children’s mother and stepfather for parental negligence and for failure to report child sexual abuse.

Earlier this year the eldest of the four siblings told the Maldives Independent that “there is no hope for justice because of the system in the Maldives.”