Shamman pressed with three charges carrying hefty prison sentences

Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has pressed three charges against Former Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamman Waheed – who was dismissed from his post over corruption allegations – Including money laundering.

PGO detailed the charges against Shamman as complicity in robbery, misuse of official capacity and money laundering.

The charges, if proven, carry hefty prison. In this regard, complicity in robbery is punishable by three years, two months and 12 days in prison; misuse of official capacity is punishable by one year, seven months and six days in prison and money laundering is punishable by five to 15 years in prison alongside a fine up to five times the sum used in the offense

Apart from Shamman, PGO has also pressed charges against four who remain in custody in connection to the case. They are:

Ibrahim Ahmed, G. Happy Side, Male’

• Robbery
• Exerting undue influence over another person’s property
• Misuse of official capacity
• Complicity in money laundering

Mohamed Alsan Ismail, Moonimaage, Th. Buruni

• Misuse of official capacity

Hassan Seheshan, G. Happy Side, Male’

• Robbery
• Misuse of official capacity

Ahmed Lassan, M. Hazaaree Villa, Male’

• Robbery
• Misuse of official capacity

Shamman was arrested in a case alleging several Immigration officers misusing their official capacity to illicitly profit from expatriates on March 21^st.

He was subsequently remanded in custody pending the outcome of his trial and has since unsuccessfully appealed his remand with the High Court.

Shamman’s family has alleged he was arrested to thwart any attempts of the former Immigration Controller General publicly exposing corruption cases involving Home Minister Ali Ihusan. The family claims Minister Ihusan initiated efforts to arrest Shamman after coming to knowledge that Shamman had a ‘video’ of the Minister. However, the family did not detail specifics of the said video.

According to the family, Minister Ihusan has committed numerous acts of corruption in running the Home Ministry and overseeing Maldives Immigration.

Maldives Police Service has denied any attempts to frame Shamman, citing there is no reason to do so.

Police has said it had collected plausible evidence to reasonably prove Shamman’s offenses, and noted that the over half million in Maldivian currency discovered in the former Controller General’s home was misappropriated from an expatriate released from Immigration’s detention on his order.