Moodhu Bulhaa’s Co-Founder Denies Allegations of Impeding Sexual Misconduct Investigations
Hulhumale’ Beach | Photo: MV+
Zoona Naseem, owner and co-founder of Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Center, has denied allegations that she was aware of multiple sexual misconduct complaints involving the centre’s staff. She also rejected claims that the dive centre attempted to obstruct investigations into the allegations.
In posts made on her personal Instagram account addressing the allegations, she said she could not verify the identity of the alleged diver who made the inappropriate comments in 2023 and later found they were not employed at the dive center. She also said these alleged comments were made outside of the premises of the dive center and not during any activities related to the dive center.
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She said that since 2023, she has not received any further complaints regarding such issues.
Regarding the recent allegations against Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Center circulating online, she said it came to her as a shock as she was not aware of any allegations against their divers until then.
“I also want to make it clear that the Dive Center has not been contacted by Maldives Police Service or any other authority regarding such a matter. Any suggestion the Dive Center has attempted to impede an investigation is unfounded,” she said.
Additionally, she said she has proactively reached out to the police to clarify if there are any investigations relating to Moodhu Bulhaam and to offer their support if necessary.
Zoona denied all allegations of her personal interference with the investigation as well.
“In particular, any allegations that I, on a personal level, have been aware that such incidents have been occurring at the Dive Center is categorically false,” she said.
She also welcomed people to approach her or the dive center so that they may be able to verify the allegations and take appropriate action.
“At Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Center, we do not take issues of harassment, abuse, or misconduct lightly. We firmly believe that such matters must be addressed with urgency, sensitivity, and due process so that the truth can be established, and justice can be served,” Zoona wrote on behalf of the dive center.
Allegations Against Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Center
On April 11, a petition was filed on Change.org calling to not allow the Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Center to participate in the Vacations Expo, set to start this Thursday. When they closed the petition yesterday, they had collected 238 verified signatures.
Boxfish Files, the account that started the petition, said they plan to submit the petition to High Rise International, the event management company planning the Vacations Expo. In posts made on X, Boxfish Files said 14 people had suffered various levels of sexual harassment and assault from the employees of Dive Center. Three of the victims are underage.
The account alleged that they had previously approached Zoona Naseem regarding such complaints and that she had not taken them seriously.
