A 55 year-old orthodontist at ADK hospital in Male has been handed to police after the discovery that he had fled the US facing charges of child molestation.
According to a 1997 report in the New York Times, Kenneth D’Cunha was accused of fleeing the US to escape charges of involvement in a Manhattan pedophile ring and in particular, the sodomy of three young boys.
“Prosecutors said he was part of a ring of men who gave teen-age boys drugs and cash in exchange for sex. The ring was broken up in 1986. Five members of the ring were found guilty. Mr D’Cunha was charged but fled the country,” the NYT reported.
He was eventually discovered by chance 11 years later working in New Zealand when he sued an employer for wrongful dismissal, and was extradited to the United States. He appeared in the State Supreme Court of Manhattan and pleaded not guilty, and was eventually released.
ADK Managing Director Ahmed Afal told Haveeru that hospital management had received complaints from staff. The Indian doctor was still in his probationary period and had been cleared by the Maldives Medical Council, Afal said.
Maldivian police said the dentist was being investigated.