The Criminal Court has ordered the continued detention of Travelution owner Dr. Hussain Sunny Umar until the conclusion of his trial, following an application submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office in connection with allegations of child sexual abuse.
In a statement released today, the Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that the request was made under Article 30 of Law No. 12/2009, the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Act, with reference to Article 49 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives. The court accepted the application and ruled that Sunny Umar will remain in remand custody for the duration of the legal proceedings.
The Maldives Police Service continues to investigate the case. Prosecutors stated that, due to ongoing investigative requirements, the investigation period has also been formally extended in accordance with the law.
The case against Sunny Umar first came to public attention after allegations surfaced that he sexually abused children from within his wife’s family. Subsequent developments confirmed that he was summoned to the Police Family and Child Protection unit upon his return to the Maldives after traveling abroad. He had earlier left the country shortly after the allegations became public and, according to sources, attempted to flee again after returning before being taken into custody.
Authorities previously confirmed that three victims have been officially identified through information received by the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services, while family sources have claimed a higher number of victims. One case has already been formally submitted to police.
Sunny Umar is the owner of The Travel Guys Pvt Ltd, which operates tourism publications including Travelution, Maldives Halal Travel, and The Island Post, as well as a travel agency under the Maldives Halal Travel brand. His continued detention marks a significant escalation in a case that has drawn national attention and intensified public scrutiny.
With the court now ordering remand until the trial concludes and the investigation period extended, the case enters a decisive phase as authorities move toward prosecution in one of the most closely watched criminal cases involving a prominent tourism figure in recent years.
