Sexual molestation of boys:
Written by Nathalene DeFreitas
Thursday, 09 February 2012 23:02
Chronicle -
Muslim cleric re-arrested, denied bail on more allegations.
THE Muslim cleric recently charged on three counts of rape allegedly committed on a similar number of boys at a masjid, was re-arrested yesterday and slapped with additional charges of sexually molesting two more boys. Accused child molester Nizam Ali called ‘Mufti’ (left) in the company of his lawyer Peter Hugh (right) and the investigating officer (centre) moments after he was re-arrested by police for additional charges committed on two more boys at a masjid.
The accused, Nizam Ali called ‘Mufti’ made his second appearance before Magistrate Alex Moore at Sparendaam Court, on East Coast Demerara.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Peter Hugh, who is associated with Ms. Latchmie Rahamat, informed the Court that Ali was granted $250,000 bail in the High Court, because of his medical condition, after being previously denied bail on Wednesday.
Hugh said, although the accused secured the grant and the surety was posted, he remained in police custody and was brought to court in handcuffs.
Hugh said prison officials failed to comply with the magistrate’s order on the last occasion, for Ali to be given special medical attention, because of which, he is required to eat six meals daily, specially prepared by his mother.
He said the prison officials only accepted two meals and denied Ali his medication.
Rahamat said she called the Director of the Prisons, informing him of the order by the magistrate but it was still not obeyed.
Police Sergeant Brown, prosecuting, said the information related to the Court is news to him and he undertook to launch an investigation into the allegations.
The magistrate asked why the accused was still in police custody and handcuffed after bail was lodged.
However, a new procedure implemented in the justice system requires the accused to sign a document in the presence of the magistrate before he can be released from police custody.
The accused was then escorted to affix his signature and told, by the magistrate, that he was free to go on the High Court bail grant but must return to Sparendaam on February 28.
Believing that he was permitted his freedom, the prisoner ventured outside the courtroom, only to have the investigating officer handcuff him again and informed him that he is wanted in connection with two new rape accusations.
His rights were read to him and he was taken back into police custody, with the likelihood of him appearing in court today on additional charges.
Last Thursday, Ali appeared before the same magistrate, charged with having sexual intercourse with three boys under the age of 12 years and was remanded to prison.
The charges stated that he engaged himself in sexual intercourse with three under age boys at the Turkeyen Section ‘D’ masjid where the virtual complainants would, usually, take Islamic lessons from him.
It is alleged that Ali committed the acts between December 2011 and January 2012, while he was in a trusted position as a religious teacher and knew or could be reasonably expected to have known of the trust in relation to the boys.
Meanwhile, the children involved are still being kept by the Child Care and Protection Agency.
The charges against Ali and his Court appearances followed weeks of investigations, during which police were criticized for taking long to prosecute him and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack recused herself from advising on the probe.
Ali, an employee of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), has been sent on leave pending the outcome of the cases.
