The Muslim scholar at the centre of a sexual molestation scandal is now being accused of interfering with at least six other boys.
The man, who is attached to the Turkeyen Masjid and was employed by the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG), was last week accused of sexually molesting four boys, aged 4 to 10 years old, and after being arrested was released on station bail. In total, 10 boys have so far been identified. The CIOG has since sent the man on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
A source close to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) told Stabroek News on Monday that the first four are still in the care of the agency. It was based on investigations by the CCPA that six other boys were named. The source said that two have since been found while the others were reportedly relocated to Berbice.
The two boys, ages 10 and 11, underwent a medical examination on Monday and there is evidence that the younger one was sexual molested, the source said. During questioning the elder child said that he was only hugged and fondled by the man but was never raped.
Statements have already been taken from the six children, this newspaper was told. Based on what has been gathered so far, the scholar gave lessons at the Turkeyen Masjid to a number of little boys and it is alleged that it was there that the incidents took place.
The source said that the first four children are “doing fairly alright but it is hard” pointing out that abuse scars for life.
The source questioned why the suspect was still a free man, while pointing out that the matter did not need the advice or attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). “The evidence is very blatant. It is wrong to have him out there when the investigation is still going on,” it was stressed.
Questions have also been raised about whether the DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack should recuse herself from participating in any deliberations on this matter as she is married to a senior official of the CIOG, to which the Masjid in question is affiliated. Ali-Hack was forced last week to issue a denial to reports that she made attempts to have the Muslim scholar released from police custody. “I have not in any way interfered with the police investigations in this matter. The police are free to conduct their independent investigations and to even proceed with the institution of charges without the advice of the DPP,” Ali-Hack said in a press release.
When contacted, Red Thread member Karen De Souza said that she did not want to comment on the allegations against the DPP. “I am taking her statements (response) on the surface,” she said, while noting that the DPP had rightly said that the police can file a charge without her advice.
De Souza said that though the new law speaks about conditions under which police can grant bail in these circumstances, children are still coming forward and she pointed out that the police are stuck between the old law and the new one. She added that the law speaks clearly about the interference with children and witnesses.
She told Stabroek News that enough is not being done to secure the wellbeing of children who have been sexually abused. “Notwithstanding all the work taking place, we still have pockets in the country that are unaware of the limited protection and how they should act,” she said.
Minister of Human Services Jennifer Webster told this newspaper that the CCPA received an anonymous tip earlier last week and began an investigation. This resulted in the police being contacted and the man being arrested.
