The Prosecutor General’s Office has clarified that former child abuse suspect Hishaan was not prosecuted because the statutory window for prosecution had expired, not because of insufficient evidence.

Under the Maldives’ Criminal Procedure Code, cases of this nature can only be pursued within eight years from the date of the crime. Several child sexual abuse cases involving children with special needs were reported against Hishaan in 2022. However, by then the alleged victims had already turned 18, and more than eight years had passed since the incidents occurred.

Because of this legal limitation, prosecutors were unable to move forward with charges, despite evidence in the cases.

At the time of the allegations, Hishaan was arrested and had his passport withheld, but he was later released and fled to Türkiye. He returned to the Maldives after five years and has since claimed there were no victims and that the cases against him were fabricated.

The Prosecutor General’s Office emphasized this week that the decision not to prosecute was based solely on the expiration of the legal timeframe, and not due to lack of evidence.