-has seven similar matters pending

THE controversial Muslim scholar who is currently serving 45 years for sodomizing a young boy, was, on Friday, found not guilty of raping a six-year-old lad in 2011.

Ali, also known as ‘Mufti,’ an Imam of Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court.

He had denied the offence which alleged that during the month of December 2011, while being a teacher attached to the Turkeyen Masjid, he engaged in sexual activity with the victim.

Ali was represented by attorneys-at-law Dexter Smartt and Dexter Todd.

On Friday, the jury after deliberating for almost two hours returned with the not guilty verdict. The jury also found him not guilty of an alternative count of rape of a child under the age of 16.

On March 14, 2019, Ali was sentenced to serve 45 years by Justice Navindra Singh after a jury found him guilty of raping a nine-year-old boy.

Ali had filed an appeal to set aside the verdict and sentence passed down on him. He is still to be tried for seven additional counts of engaging in sexual activity with boys under the age of 12, which were allegedly committed in 2012.

At the time the offences allegedly occurred, Ali was in a position of trust, being a religious teacher, and knew, or could reasonably expect to have known, of the trust in relation to the boys. The boys were attending Arabic and Quran classes at the time.