The Prosecutor General’s (PG) office sought action against acting Police Commissioner Farhad Fikry on suspicion of destroying evidence in a rape case involving his son, Adhadhu has learned.
Adhadhu has obtained a copy of a letter sent from the PG office to the police on May 7, 2018, which stated that Farhad Fikry was suspected of "exerting influence" over the case of a 16-year-old girl who was raped and photographed in a guesthouse in Male'.
Farhad is accused of deleting photos from a phone, the PG office letter stated. The nude photos were alleged to have been taken by Farhad's son during the sexual abuse of the victim.
The police sought sexual assault charges against a 17-year-old boy after investigating the case. Farhad's son was in the room when the incident occurred and later confessed to having taken photos with his phone, the letter stated.
But Farhad's son was not questioned over any alleged crime. Farhad had taken the phone from his son and made a police officer delete the nude photos, the PG office letter said, citing case documents.
A forensic report made by the police later stated that there was no data on the phone, the letter noted.
Criminal charges could have been raised in the case but that was no longer possible as the legal deadline for pressing charges had passed, the PG office letter stated. The police forwarded the case five days before the end of the prosecution period.
"...although the case was reported in 2014 and an investigation was started, the case was submitted to this office by the duty prosecution on 10 August 2017 as the law number 12/2016 (criminal procedures law) had come into office and the prosecution period under article 94(b) of the law was due to expire on 15 August 2017," the latter stated.
However, the PG office believed administrative action should be taken in the case, the letter said.
"Despite not being able to raise criminal charges, as these persons are still in police jobs, and because we believe administrative action should be taken against those who commit such acts, we share this and inform you as such," stated the letter, which was signed by a deputy PG.
As the new police law that came into force in 2021 stated that police officers accused of corruption and inhumane acts should be dismissed, the police decided to sack seven senior officers including Farhad. He was to be dismissed for destroying evidence. However, the new police board has revoked the decision.
