Immigration Officer Sentenced Over Bribery Case Involving Foreign Nationals

Immigration officer Ibrahim Ahmed has been sentenced to 11 months in jail after admitting to accepting bribes from immigrants, the Criminal Court has confirmed.

Ibrahim was among four immigration officers arrested alongside former Immigration Controller Mohammed Shamman. The prosecution alleges that, following the release of a foreign national from custody, the officers extorted more than MVR 500,000 and took the money to Shamman’s residence. Investigators stated the operation was carried out by employees outside the Immigration Task Force and Risk Management division, which is responsible for monitoring illegal immigration.

Ibrahim, who faced charges of abuse of official position, robbery, and unauthorised possession of another person’s property, pleaded guilty and entered a plea agreement with the prosecution. The court accepted the agreement and issued rulings on all three charges as an expedited case last week.

On the charge of abuse of official position, Ibrahim was sentenced to one year and 12 days in prison. Two months of the sentence were imposed, while the remainder was commuted to a fine of MVR 62,400.

For the robbery charge, he received a sentence of two years, four months and 24 days. Seven months were imposed in prison, with the rest converted into a fine of MVR 130,800, in addition to an order to pay MVR 50,000 in compensation to the affected foreign national.

Ibrahim was also sentenced to one year and 12 days for unauthorised possession of another person’s property. Two months of this sentence were imposed in prison, with the remainder commuted to a fine of MVR 62,400. He was additionally ordered to pay USD 3,500 in damages to the foreign national involved.

The prosecution also reached plea agreements with officers Ahmed Lassan and Alsan Ismail. Alsan was sentenced to two months and three days in prison and fined MVR 45,000, with the sentence fully commuted to fines.

The investigation into the case revealed that the officers involved intercepted the foreign national on the street and delivered the extorted funds to Shamman’s building, police said.