Man Fined MVR 287,400 for Embezzling Over MVR 275,000 from FSM

The Criminal Court has sentenced a man to pay a fine after finding him guilty of embezzling more than MVR 270,000 from Fuel Supply Maldives (FSM).

According to the court ruling, FSM received MVR 275,847.25 on 20 January 2019 from fuel sales to Easyfil. The money was handed to Thaa Thimarafushi, Irufuheyge, Fathuhulla Jameel to be deposited at the Islamic Bank of Maldives. However, witness testimony presented in court established that the funds were not deposited and were instead misappropriated.

Fathuhulla told the court that he had been attacked while on his motorcycle on his way to the bank. He claimed that assailants sprayed his face, knocked him off the motorcycle and stole the cash.

The report stated that police attended the scene at the time, but found no evidence to support his account. Laboratory tests conducted by the police did not detect any trace of spray, and the case was subsequently referred to the Prosecutor General’s Office as a fraud matter.

The offence carries a custodial sentence of one year, seven months and six days. However, Criminal Court Judge Ibrahim Ihsaan opted to impose a fine instead of a prison term, citing the defendant’s lack of a prior criminal record and the fact that it has not yet been established what ultimately happened to the money.

In delivering the sentence, the judge increased the term to four years and converted it to a financial penalty. Fathuhulla was fined MVR 287,400, to be paid over a period of 48 months.