Ihusaan Denies Framing Allegations After Shamaan Claims Corruption Linked to Foreign Worker Permits

MV+ News Desk | June 10, 2026
Shamaan Waheed participates in a press briefing organised by the Ministry of Homeland Security | Photo: Maldives Immigration

The Minister of Homeland Security, Labour, and Technology has denied claims of corruption linked to the approval of foreign worker quotas, raised by the former Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan. 

In a public statement, Shamaan alleged that he informed President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on 16 January 2025 that Minister Ihusaan was “committing a crime” in relation to the approval of quotas and work permits for foreign workers. He claimed the alleged arrangement involved payments of MVR 8,000 per quota and USD 1,800 per approved Bangladeshi worker, and said he submitted supporting evidence to the President. The standard annual quote fee for a foreign worker in the Maldives is MVR 2,000 (approximately USD 130). This fee must be paid annually for every employment quota slot you obtain

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Shamaan also cited a response he attributed to President Muizzu after he had presented the claims, in which the President reportedly said he had received information that Shamaan was targeting Minister Ihusaan out of personal animosity, and expressed confidence that Ihusaan would not act against laws and regulations. 

The allegations came shortly after the Criminal Court sentenced Shamaan to 25 years in prison after finding him guilty on three charges brought by the State, including money laundering. Before the sentencing, he made further claims that Minister Ihusaan had been the “leading figure” behind efforts to frame him and reiterated allegations of corruption within the ministry related to foreign worker quotas. 

Minister Ihusaan rejected the allegations in a post on X, describing them as “unsubstantiated” and “false”. He said no evidence supports the claims and reiterated that he had previously dismissed similar accusations.

He also denied any involvement in framing Shamaan, stating that the evidence collected by police contradicts the allegations. The minister said he has asked police authorities to clarify the details of the case publicly. 

Several political figures have since commented on the case, expressing confidence in Shamaan’s allegations.

Former Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Fayyaz Ismail said Shamaan’s claims reflected “the true reality of this government” and argued that his imprisonment followed his disclosure of “truth behind those matters.”

Fayyaz further alleged that the current administration had resumed what he described as an illegal quota trade system after it was halted during the MDP government. He also claimed that the government had “sold the Maldives’ border control system to a Malaysian company,” describing it as a corrupt act involving high-ranking officials.

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