High Court sentences Islam teacher to 15 years for sexually abusing female students a decade ago

An Islam teacher who sexually abused female students at a school on a southern island has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.

The incident dates back about 10 years, when an Islam subject teacher at the school sexually abused several girls. The charge, sexual abuse of a child in a position of trust, had not been proven by the lower court at the time.

According to the case report, the teacher sexually abused students in seventh grade.

The prosecution filed the case at the High Court in 2024 after the lower court failed to prove the charges. The teacher challenged the prosecution to prove that he touched the students with sexual intent.

The prosecution submitted student statements, medical reports, and investigation reports from the school’s leading teacher and other witnesses.

A three-judge bench of the High Court on Tuesday convicted the teacher and sentenced him to 15 years in jail. Justices Hussain Mazeer, Hassan Shafiu, and Fathmath Farheeza heard the case.