PGO Files Charges Against Eight Over Robbery at VIA

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed criminal charges against eight individuals in connection with a robbery that took place at Velana International Airport (VIA) last year, where a suitcase containing a large sum of foreign currency was stolen from Bank of Maldives employees.

According to the PGO, charges were submitted to the Criminal Court on 8 February and 26 February over the incident, which occurred on 27 October 2025 at the Bank of Maldives exchange counter in Terminal 1 of VIA.

Authorities said the robbery took place at around 4:15 am, when two Bank of Maldives employees were standing near Gate 1 of the new terminal while transporting a suitcase containing multiple currencies to the dollar exchange counter. During the incident, the employees were threatened with a knife and the suitcase was forcibly taken, according to the PGO’s press release. 

The suitcase reportedly contained a range of foreign and local currencies, including

• €4,900 (Euro)
• £1,735 (Pound)
• S$2,610 (Singapore Dollar)
• A$1,345 (Australia Dollar)
• CHF 510 (Swiss Franc)
• C$1,515 (Canadian Dollar)
• ¥334,000 (Japanese Yen)
• HK$10,420 (Hong Kong Dollar)
• US$106,120 (US Dollar)
• MVR 23,778 (Maldivian Rufiyaa)
• ₹25,000 (Indian Rupees)
• ¥600 (Chinese yuan)

The Prosecutor General’s Office detailed the charges as follows: 

• Ahmed Mahid, Etheegé, Thaa Vilufushi: charged with robbery under Section 213 of the Maldives Penal Code, additional charges of intimidation with a sharp object under Section 33 of the Prevention of Gang Crimes and Other Dangerous Offences Act, charges possession of a sharp object in a public place without reasonable excuse under Section 35 of the same law 
• Ali Afzal, Vashagulimagé, Addu Hithadhoo: charged with robbery under Section 213 of the Penal Code and with being an accomplice to intimidation with a sharp object
• Abdul Awwal Ibrahim Aboobakuru, Bina, Gaafu Alif Villingili: charged with accomplice to robbery under Section 213 in conjunction with Section 30 of the Penal Code

Five additional individuals — Hussain Shahud of Alivilagé in Kaafu Guraidhoo, Mazin Moosa of Resham in Laamu Maavah, Ahmed Raihan Naeem of Chorus in Malé, Ibrahim Anoof of Alivilagé in Kaafu Guraidhoo, and Ismail Sirhan of Meezan in Raa Maduvvari — have also been charged with accomplice to robbery under Sections 213 and 30 of the Penal Code.

The PGO said the charges relate to the alleged direct involvement of some suspects and assistance provided by others in carrying out the robbery.

The PGO said that, in the filing submitted to court, the prosecution has also requested an order requiring the defendants to pay full compensation to the Bank of Maldives for the losses incurred as a result of the incident.