The Maldives Police Service has formally requested the Prosecutor General’s Office to file criminal charges against former Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamaan Waheed and four other immigration officials in relation to an alleged extortion case involving a foreign worker.
The case centres around an unauthorised immigration raid on 25 March, during which seven foreign nationals were detained in a Maafannu residence. Among them was one individual found in possession of MVR 530,000 in cash. According to the police, the raid was carried out by immigration officers who were not part of the authorised taskforce or risk management unit typically assigned to such operations.
Those implicated alongside Shamaan include immigration officers Ibrahim Ahmed, Ahmed Lassaan, Mohamed Alsan Ismail, and Hassan Saheshan. All five remain in police custody, and investigators have submitted a request for prosecution to the PGO. A decision on whether to file formal charges is expected within 15 days.
The police claim that the raid, which was in violation of official procedures, was planned in advance and carried out with Shamaan’s knowledge. The investigation also alleges that a falsified letter was submitted to immigration authorities on the day of the operation, requesting the release of the foreigner who held the large sum of money. Although the letter claimed to be from the individual’s sponsor, the sponsor later denied involvement, and the letter was found to include a phone number instead of a proper name for the person authorised to collect the individual.
According to police findings, Shamaan referred to the letter and instructed officials to process the release as a matter of urgency. The foreign national was subsequently handed over to one of the officers involved in the raid. CCTV footage shows the bag of cash being transferred to another officer after the release, with movements tracked through the streets of Malé. The vehicle stopped at several points before the officers were later seen entering Shamaan’s residence at 3 a.m., carrying bags and exiting minutes later without them.
Police also recovered MVR 257,475, USD 10,000, and cash in other foreign currencies during a raid on Shamaan’s home on the night of his arrest. Several electronic devices were also seized as part of the investigation.
Shamaan, aged 36, was dismissed from his post on 20 March, the same day the investigation began. He had been appointed to lead Maldives Immigration on 19 November 2023, shortly after President Dr Mohamed Muizzu assumed office.
While Shamaan had previously received public praise for cracking down on irregular migration, the police now accuse him of orchestrating illegal detentions and financial extortion. The investigation also suggests that the foreign national in question was unlawfully released with the cash following direct intervention by Shamaan.
The case has gained political attention due to allegations made by Shamaan’s family, who insist that he has been framed. His wife, Hidhufa Faiz, claimed that Shamaan was targeted for exposing corruption involving Home Minister Ali Ihusaan. The family asserts that Shamaan had sent a letter to President Muizzu in December, containing evidence of corruption within the immigration system, including irregularities in the issuance of quotas and work permits.
For now, the case remains under review at the Prosecutor General’s Office.
