Former Immigration Chief Sentenced to 25 Years for Robbery, Laundering and Abuse of Office

MALE’ — The Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, former Controller of Immigration, to 25 years in prison after finding him guilty on three charges including money laundering, conspiracy to commit robbery, and abuse of official position.

The court imposed the maximum penalty on each count: 15 years for money laundering, eight years for conspiracy to commit robbery, and two years for abuse of office. The sentences run consecutively. The court also ordered the forfeiture of MVR 125,000 and USD 10,000 found during a search of Shamaan’s residence, MVR 250,000 held in police custody, and a further sum equivalent to MVR 150,000.

The case centred on the handling of an expatriate worker who was brought into immigration detention carrying MVR 530,000. On Shamaan’s direct order, the individual was released late at night. Immigration officers then extorted MVR 500,000 from him, of which MVR 400,000 was taken to the building where Shamaan lives.

A portion of those funds was used to pay off two student loans in Shamaan’s name. Court records show MVR 149,491 was deposited into one Bank of Maldives loan account and MVR 110,345 into another.

The prosecution applied sentencing guidelines established in the earlier case of former Fenaka Corporation managing director Mohamed Saeed, under which individuals who commit offences while holding senior state positions face significantly harsher penalties than the base sentence. Shamaan’s defence asked for the lightest possible penalty and requested the court convert the prison term to a fine or house arrest. The court rejected that.

Shamaan denied all three charges. The court said the state proved each one beyond reasonable doubt.