The Kenwyn Islamic Society has called for the immediate resignation of the trustees of the Ashrafiah Trust, which oversees the Waterloo Road Mosque in Kenwyn.
This follows widespread outrage over the arrest of Moulana Mogamat Farouk Rylands, who was arrested and detained last week. Rylands, who served as Imam for around 20 years, was held at Pollsmoor Prison before being released on Thursday.
The Ashrafiah Trust was invited to provide their version of events, however they elected to not do so and instead shared their statement to Radio 786 on the matter:
The Ashrafiah Trust has sought to correct misinformation surrounding the arrest of Moulana Farouk Rylands, emphasizing that it did not arise from any religious act but followed a physical incident and a prolonged history of legal non‑compliance. The Trustees outline years of litigation confirming the lawful dismissal of Moulana Rylands and a binding court order prohibiting him from officiating at the Waterloo Road Masjid, which was allegedly repeatedly contravened. They stress that the arrest resulted from cumulative legal and conduct-related factors, affirm their commitment to lawful governance and community stability, and appeal for calm, accuracy, and respect for judicial processes within the community.
