Police Seek Charges Against Former Immigration Controller Over Alleged Corruption

The Maldives Police Service has formally requested the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to file criminal charges against former Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamaan Waheed and four other individuals in connection with an ongoing corruption investigation.

Shamaan, 36, was dismissed from his position as head of Maldives Immigration on 20 March. According to police, he is suspected of being involved in a scheme where several Immigration employees allegedly misused their authority for illicit financial gain, particularly targeting expatriate workers.

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On the night of his dismissal, police raided Shamaan’s residence in Malé, seizing MVR 257,475, USD 10,000, foreign currency, and various electronic devices. He was arrested the following day upon arriving for questioning at the Sergeant Adam Haleem Criminal Investigation Building.

Four other Immigration officers have also been arrested in connection with the case. They have been identified as Mohamed Alsan Ismail, 21, of Th. Buruni; Ibrahim Ahmed, 37; Hassan Saheshan, 47; and Ahmed Lassaan, 40 – all residents of Malé. All five suspects remain in police custody.

Public prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu confirmed on Tuesday that the PGO had received the request to pursue charges the previous day. A decision on whether to prosecute is expected within 15 days.

According to the police, the case centres on an unauthorised raid carried out by three Immigration officers, who were not part of the designated taskforce or risk management section responsible for identifying and detaining irregular migrants. The raid targeted a migrant accommodation block, from which seven expatriates were detained. Police stated that all seven individuals held valid documentation and were found with substantial amounts of cash.

After the initial detention, a specialised Immigration team re-processed the scene, sealed the evidence, and transported the migrants to the Immigration Detention Centre.

However, at midnight on 13 March, one of the detained expatriates – who was found with MVR 530,000 in cash – was released at the urgent request of Shamaan and brought to the Immigration office at M. Star Cloud. The expatriate’s sponsor, said to be a relative of one of the arrested officers, was also present.

Shamaan had been appointed to the role of Controller General of Immigration on 19 November 2023, two days after President Dr Mohamed Muizzu assumed office. His sudden dismissal came as a surprise, especially as he had received public praise for spearheading operations against undocumented migrants.

Shamaan remains in detention pending the outcome of his trial, after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal against continued custody. The PGO is expected to decide on prosecution within 15 days.