Melbourne imam who conducted child marriage ceremony dodges jail | Herald Sun
Melbourne imam who conducted child marriage ceremony dodges jail
Shannon Deery, Herald Sun
22 minutes ago
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VICTORIAN taxpayers will foot the bill for part of the legal defence of a disgraced imam who conducted a wedding ceremony marrying a child bride to a man 20 years her senior.
Magistrate Philip Goldberg told Ibrahim Omerdic today jail was the only option for such serious offending that endangered the 14-year-old.
But he effectively cut him loose, jailing him for two months on a $2500 recognizance order.
‘SHE’S VERY YOUNG’: CHILD BRIDE VIDEO
IMAM PERFORMED CHILD WEDDING
It means as long as he’s of good behaviour for two years, Omerdic will never step foot inside a jail cell.
Omerdic was charged with a forced marriage crime, but the charge was later swapped for a charge of solemnising an illegal marriage.
Today he won a costs order against Victoria Police, forcing them to pay for his prosecution of the dropped forced marriage charge.
Omerdic married the child bride to a man more than 20 years her senior in an undercover ceremony recorded by the groom.
media_cameraDisgraced imam Ibrahim Omerdic is seen marrying a 14-year-old girl to a 34-year-old man in a video recorded by the groom.
The young teen was married in exchange for a $1480 dowry and told it was her duty to obey her husband.
Omerdic vehemently denied any wrong doing, saying he performed a mock ceremony only so the couple could be seen together in public.
But magistrate Goldberg found the evidence against the disgraced imam was compelling.
“By reason of breach of trust you have failed to protect the child,” he said.
In disturbing footage of the wedding, Omerdic is heard telling the girl: “If (your husband) is happy with something, do it. If (your husband) is not happy with something, don’t do it.”
“She’s very young,” he can be heard telling the child’s mother and her betrothed.
Omerdic performed the ceremony at a Noble Park mosque in September.
Omerdic argued the ceremony, at the Bosnian Islamic Society and Noble Park Mosque, did not cause the couple to be married under Australian law.
Melbourne imam who conducted child marriage ceremony dodges jail | Herald Sun
There were claims the girl was raped in the days after the ceremony but police have since dropped the sexual assault charges.
Her husband, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to marrying the girl only after striking a deal that saw two charges, including one of sexually assaulting the child, withdrawn.
Now the man stands to be sentenced only for forcing the girl into marriage during a ceremony at a mosque.
Omerdic was immediately sacked after his arrest in November. His marriage celebrant licence has also been revoked.
The Victorian Board of Imams has publicly condemned marriages, which are illegal in Australia.
“As Australian Muslims, we are required to observe and respect the laws of Australia,” it said in a statement.
The Islamic Council of Victoria has also released a statement condemning forced marriages.
“It is true that marriage at a younger age is permitted in other countries and cultures, but this is not a justification for marriage below the legal age or child marriages here in Australia,” they said
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