A homosexual Muslim leader has been jailed for sexually assaulting a man he met at a New Zealand spa and then blackmailing him with a secretly filmed video of the abuse.
Uwais Abdirahman Ahmed, 42, an Imam at an Islamic community centre, was earlier this month jailed for seven years and seven months in the Rotorua District Court where his victim called him a “small, weak, disgusting man” with “sick, monstrous desires”, the Rotorua Daily Post reported.
Ahmed, founder of the New Zealand Islamic Cultural Trust, was found guilty by a jury last year of eight charges – two of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, two of indecent assault, inducing an indecent act, making an intimate video recording, blackmail and failing to carry out the obligations of a search.
The court heard that Ahmed met his victim at geothermal hot springs facility Polynesian Spa in 2020 and got his phone number. They met in Rotorua a month later, but after suggesting the pair go for a private chat Ahmed sexually assaulted the younger man.
Judge Paul Geoghegan said in sentencing that the victim froze as Ahmed forced him to perform sexual acts while secretly filming him.
Weeks later Ahmed messaged his victim on Snapchat and demanded intimate photos, and when he refused sent him the sexual assault video and threatened to send it to the man’s friends if he did not comply.
Ahmed’s behaviour continued for months until the victim reported him to police, and he told the court he gave in to Ahmed’s demands because he “saw no way out”.
“You Mr Ahmed abused me, took advantage of my fear and sexually abused me without my consent,” the man said while facing the Muslim leader in court.
“I recall you saying you are a very strong and influential man with many contacts and that it would be unwise for not only me but my family.”
The victim told Ahmed he was a “threat to society”, and said the sexual abuse had left him with depression and anxiety, affected his relationships and caused him to self-harm.
Judge Geoghegan said Ahmed had shown no remorse as he claimed he was wrongfully accused, but gave him a 5% discount on the eight-year starting sentence sought by the prosecution as he had no prior convictions.
Ahmed had asked for the sentencing to proceed in a closed court without the family and Muslim community members who had come to support him, but the judge refused.
A new lawyer for Ahmed said on Monday an appeal against the sentence and conviction was being planned.
Header image: Left, Uwais Abdirahman Ahmed. Right, Polynesian Spa (Google).
