‘Burnt with lighter, submerged in pool’: Abuya’s daughter alleges she was raped, abused by GISBH leader

 

Former Al-Arqam leader Ashaari Muhammad’s daughter Ummu Atiyah has claimed that she was a victim of violence and rape by a leader of GISB Holding Sdn Bhd. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, October 19 — Former Al-Arqam leader Ashaari Muhammad’s daughter Ummu Atiyah has claimed that she was a victim of violence and rape by a leader of GISB Holding Sdn Bhd (GISBH).

According to Sinar Harian, she alleged that the incident occurred in 2015 when she was forced to marry the GISBH leader.

“At the time, I refused... I really didn’t want to marry him because he was old and pot-bellied. I found him disgusting,” she said at a press conference yesterday.

She said she initially fled to a friend’s house in Jordan after receiving a WhatsApp message about the marriage arrangement.

“He and his followers came, demanding that I surrender. They caused a commotion until 1 to 2am,” she said.

"My friend was threatened,” she said, adding that her friend was eventually pressured into persuading her to surrender.

Ummu Atiyah said she was forced to meet the leader and shake his hand as a sign of consent to marry him, but she resisted.

She claimed that after refusing, she was separated from her child, taken to Turkey and subjected to abuse.

“I was burnt with a lighter and submerged in a pool. At one point, my younger brother, who followed the leader, asked me to remove my clothes to show him,” she said.

She explained that she ultimately gave in, fearing for her life.

“Because I was submerged for over an hour, gasping for air, swallowing water, and feeling pain in my chest, I had to say yes,” she added.

The police recently rescued 402 children aged between one and 17 from 18 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan as part of Op Global on September 11.

Authorities reported cases of neglect and abuse involving the children living in the homes.

Following the operation, 171 individuals were arrested, including 105 women aged between 17 and 64.

Investigations led police to suspect that GISBH was involved in human trafficking and other offences.