Negligence trial begins for state officials over toddler's death

Prosecutors on Sunday said the police officer and the four government officials had failed to provide the required safe environment which ultimately led to the death of the three year old boy who was allegedly murdered by his mother.

Prosecutors have found negligence on the part of a police officer and four gender ministry officials and filed formal charges against the five.

Mohamed Ibthihaal was found dead in their home in Vaavu Atoll Rakeedhoo island with signs of severe physical abuse in January 2015.

His mother, Afiya Mohamed had been arrested in connection to her son’s death and has been charged with first degree murder.

Afiya has confessed to severely beating her son on the day of his death.

Out of the four gender ministry officials Mohamed Rasheed and Mohamed Shakeeb are still on the ministry payroll while the other two Aminath Siyaza and Ahmed Suzad have since resigned.

The police officer charged in the case Lisaan Aboobakuru was the acting northern area commander in Vaavu Atoll at the time.

Criminal court had held three separate hearings for the five, with Shakeeb and Rasheed charged with negligence after the pair working at the Vaavu Atoll Gender and Family centre failed to take necessary action in Ibthihaal's case after a formal complaint was lodged a month before his death.

Both had denied the charges and were given the requested seven days to appoint an attorney.

The next hearing was for Siyaza and Suzad who were working in Family and Children Services centre in Vaavu Atoll. The state argued that the pair had visited Rakeedhoo island to investigate Ibthihaal's case but had failed to implement the necessary measures to protect the victim.

Siyaza had been given a fortnight to appoint an attorney while Suzad's attorney argued that his client had been on probation at the time and had followed his supervisor Siyaza's instructions.

The attorney also said since his client was on probation his duties at the time carried no legal obligation.

In response, the prosecution dismissed the arguments insisting that Suzad had been an assistant counsellor at the time and had reported to the capital on the case.

The final hearing on Sunday was for Lisaan Aboobakuru where the prosecution said as the commanding police officer, the defendant had failed to provide adequate protection for Ibthihaal which resulted in the boy's death.

The judge had given 15 days for Aboobakuru to appoint an attorney upon request.

All five have been charged under Chapter 88 (4) of the penal code, domestic violence Act and the child protection Act. The police officer faces additional charges under the Police Act.

The referred penal code chapter states that "Disobedience to order authorized by Shari’ah or Law: Where such disobedience resulted in the death of a person the offender shall be subjected to punishment described by Islamic Law."

Ibthihaal's death had grabbed the attention of the entire island nation and had sparked public outrage after state institutions were accused of failing to protect Ibthihaal and abuse victims.

Ismail Rauf, Ibthihaal’s grandfather has also been charged in a separate case of incest.

Rauf is reported to have sexually and physically abused both Afiya and Ibthihaal.