Rape case against Muslim scholar set for February 22 hearing
The Muslim Scholar rape case is expected to be heard by Magistrate Alex Moore on February 22 and the mother of three of the complainants on Saturday appealed for the continuous delays in having the matter referred to the High Court for trial to end.
“I hope that when it call up, it go to the High Court”, the frustrated woman told Stabroek News while reiterating that the delays are unfair to her sons and the other complainants who have to continuously relive the trauma while the suspect, Nezaam Ali goes about life as usual.
Magistrate Moore had previously committed Ali to stand trial but after it was discovered last year that important documents were missing from the file he was instructed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to reopen the matter.
Moore who now presides in Berbice however had not appeared on two dates previously set and the matter had to be deferred.
Ali of 268 Section ‘C’ 5 South Turkeyen, was charged in 2012 with raping nine boys. The charges alleged that between December, 2011 and January, 2012, Ali, being a teacher attached to the Turkeyen Masjid, engaged in sexual activity with the children, abusing a position of trust. He was placed on a total of $1,300,000 bail.
The allegations of abuse first came to light when the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) received an anonymous tip and officials there began