Ahmed Sharuan – accused by Tanja Gab Pradel Sharuan of abducting the couple’s baby from her home in Zurich – has returned the child to her mother in the presence of police last Thursday (20 March 2014).
Speaking to Minivan News today, a police media official confirmed that the baby had been returned to the mother following a High Court ruling issued on March 20 which supported the Family Court’s decision to return the baby to the mother.
“The High Court ruling was implemented last Thursday and now the case has been concluded,” a police media official said.
The case had been appealed at the High Court, with Sharuan claiming that the Family Court’s decision was unlawful and that it had not considered the points he had noted regarding the mother’s alleged refusal to raise the child as a Muslim.
Speaking to Minivan News on Thursday (March 20), Tanja expressed joy at having been given custody of her child.
“I am very happy about the High Court’s decision. I have always had faith in the Maldivian law. As a Muslim mother, I am more than happy to have my baby back in my arms,” Tanja said.
She further expressed gratitude for the “wonderful support given from [her] Maldivian friends”.
Three days ahead of Thursday’s court hearing, Tanja had launched an Avaaz petition seeking support in her case to gain custody of her child.
“My daughter is only five months old and she was abducted by her father from our then home in Zurich and he ran away with her to the Maldives. I am German but now in the Maldives and have submitted a case to the Family Court,” read the petition.
“The Family Court on Monday issued an injunction to my husband Ahmed Sharuan to hand over the baby to me within 24 hours, by 3pm Tuesday 11th February 2014.”
“However, he refused to obey this court order and went into hiding for several days. Whilst in hiding, he arranged a lawyer and submitted an appeal to the High Court to cancel the Family Court injunction. The High Court on Sunday 16th March, suspended the injunction of the Family Court without even hearing my side of the story and without a hearing,” it continued.
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