Man gets just 18 days in prison for selling child abuse content

Aug 30, 2026, 12:26 PM
The Criminal Court building located in Hulhumale. -- Photo: Adhadhu

The Criminal Court building located in Hulhumale. -- Photo: Adhadhu

A man has been sentenced to 18 days in prison after being found guilty of distributing and selling child and adult pornography.

According to the sentencing report from the Criminal Court, the defendant was identified as Zubair Ali of Baharuge, Alif Dhaal Mahibadhoo.

The charges against him state that between January 1, 2022, and August 8, 2024, he created multiple Telegram accounts and channels to sell pornographic material. He was accused of posting photos and videos featuring both adults and minors on these platforms.

The court report detailed that forensic analysis of devices seized during the investigation—including a Samsung Galaxy Note 10, a Redmi 12, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, and an Acer laptop found in his bedroom—uncovered a vast collection of adult pornographic images and videos.

Zubair confessed to the charges and entered into a plea agreement with the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office. The 18-day prison sentence was handed down in accordance with the terms of the plea deal.

Comments

Read More

Latest News

Ban reversed because of difficulties in using paper straws: Govt

The Maldives government has reversed its ban on single-use plastic straws, delaying the prohibition until 2031. Officials cited the poor quality of paper alternatives, which often dissolve or contain harmful microplastics. This decision pushes back the original 2023 timeline for phasing out several types of single-use plastics.

Political directors appointed to island designated as uninhabited

President Muizzu has appointed two political directors to the Youth Ministry to work on Hirimaradhoo, an island recently declared uninhabited. Despite the island's council being dissolved and residents being relocated to Hanimaadhoo, the appointees will receive MVR 20,000 monthly salaries to serve their home island.

Egyptian man arrested at VIA after making false bomb threat joke

Egyptian national Peter Saman Marzouk Saman was arrested at Velana International Airport after jokingly claiming his sister’s luggage contained a bomb. Despite his apology and claim that it was a prank, a court ordered him remanded for five days. Authorities emphasized that false threats are strictly prohibited and carry serious consequences.

Thinadhoo Mayor and Councillors face charges over land allocation

The ACC has requested corruption charges against Thinadhoo’s Mayor and three councillors for illegally leasing four land plots to a private firm without a public bid. The officials are accused of bypassing regulations to provide an undue advantage to the business. Mayor Saud Ali also faces separate charges for falsifying population data.

ACC seeks corruption charges against ex-MPL Chief

The ACC has requested corruption charges against former MPL CEO Mohamed Junaid and ex-procurement head Abdul Wahhab. The pair is accused of bypassing tender rules to buy overpriced air conditioners from a linked business, costing over MVR 1 million. They face charges for abusing their positions to gain undue advantages.

ex-President's Office employee alleges minister threatened her

A former President's Office employee alleges a cabinet minister threatened them to prevent leaks before the "Aisha" documentary's release. The individual also claims First Lady Sajidha Mohamed is harassing their family and blacklisting them from jobs. Authorities have since seized the former staffer's passport amid a criminal probe.

Muizzu reverses narrative on prison conditions of ex-President

President Mohamed Muizzu has reversed his 2018 stance on the prison conditions of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. While he previously praised the high quality of the facilities, he now claims the detainees were held in small cells and in poor condition. This shift contradicts his earlier reports as Abdulla Yameen's special envoy.

Newsletter

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox