Criminal Court acquits six men accused of raping 14 year old girl in Vilimale'

Criminal Court has acquitted all 6 men accused of raping a 14 year old girl in Vilimale’ in 2010.

The 6 men; Azim Ali, Finihiyaage, Alif Dhaalu Dhigurah; Ali Ashraf, M. Ethuma, Male’; Ishan Abdulla, Chichandaage, Gaafu Dhaalu Vaadhoo; Hood Mohamed Zahir, Male’ Dhaftharu 6471 (general registry); Abdulla Nazeef, Zaaviya, and Mohamed Shifau, V. Fazeela Manzil, Male’, were acquitted by Criminal Court today.

Two amongst them, Mohamed Shifau and Abdulla Nazeef, still hold murder charges for a separate incident where they are accused for the attack and the subsequent murder of Ahmed Mirza, Whitehouse, Noonu Maalhendhoo, inside a park in Vilimale’ in April 2011.

The State raised rape charges against the 6 men under Child Sex Offenders (Special Provisions) Act.

The sentence by Criminal Court today stated that all 6 men had denied the charges by the State, which accused them of forcefully taking a 14 year old girl to the Vilimale’ antennae area on the 5th of June 2010, and raping the her.

The sentence stated that the State failed to present the appropriate number of witnesses stipulated in the law to prove the accusations.