Maldives court drops sex abuse charges against 75-year-old

A Maldives court Tuesday threw out charges against a 75-year-old man accused of sexually abusing four siblings on an island in Gaaf Dhaal atoll, local media reported.

The court did not give a reason for throwing out the charges.

The case was sent to Thinadhoo magistrate court by the Prosecutor General’s Office, which confirmed to local media it would appeal against the decision.

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

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

In July the Prosecutor General’s Office 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 one of the four siblings told the Maldives Independent that she was first abused at the age of 14 and that her mother had tried to force her into marrying him.