…accused of sexually molesting nine boys

The case against Muslim scholar, Neezam Ali, who is accused of allegedly sexually molesting nine boys, is expected to be recalled at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore today.

Ali, also known as ‘Mufti’, an Imam of Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was committed to stand trial in the High Court on nine counts of engaging in sexual activity with nine boys under the age of 12, back in 2012.

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. He was placed on a total of $1.3M bail at the time.

The acts were allegedly committed while Ali was in a position of trust, being a religious teacher, and knew or could be reasonably expected to have known of the trust in relation to the boys. The boys had been attending Arabic and Koran classes at the time.

Following a preliminary hearing at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore, Ali was committed to stand trial at the High Court. But his attorney, Nigel Hughes, had challenged the paper committal on several grounds.
The matter was subsequently sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice, and was later reopened before Magistrate Moore.