High Court to hear Shamaan’s remand appeal

The High Court has decided to hear the case appealing the remand order of former Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, who faces numerous allegations of corruption.

The Criminal Court initially ordered 15 days of remand for Shamaan on March 22. Although an appeal was filed with the High Court on March 26, it was initially rejected.

However, Shamaan's side appealed the Registrar's decision to the High Court's panel of judges. On Wednesday, the three-judge panel unanimously decided that the case should be heard. All three judges determined that the Registrar's decision was incorrect, as there appeared to be legal arguments in the points raised by Shamaan's side for the purpose of the appeal process.

The bench hearing the case consists of Huzaifa Mohamed who is presiding over the case, Fathimath Faruheeza, and Mohamed Saleem.

Following the expiration of the initial 15-day remand period, the Criminal Court on April 6 ordered for Shamaan to be remanded until the end of the trial.

Some individuals have been alleging that the government is handling Shamaan's case with bias. It has also been alleged that a government minister has exerted significant influence in the case.

Shamaan was arrested when he reported to Henveiru Police Station on March 21 to sign the inventory of items seized by the police institution after searching his residence. As a result, critics have been asserting that his “abrupt” arrest was out of fear that the truth of the case might unfold, and that there are hidden issues behind this.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) on March 22 confirmed that Shamaan was arrested under a court order in connection with allegations that some employees of Maldives Immigration were abusing their official authority to obtain undue benefits from foreign workers.

In a statement released by the police institution on March 21 regarding the case, they said that based on information received about some Maldives Immigration employees abusing their official influence to obtain undue benefits from foreign workers, investigations so far have revealed that employees working in sections other than the Task Force and Risk Management Section, which normally handle the responsibility of finding and detaining illegal foreigners, have been misusing their official influence.

In addition to this, the police institution has highlighted that after searching a house where foreign workers were residing, a large amount of cash was taken along with the foreigners who were brought under Immigration's custody.

Further, a day later, on the orders of the then Controller General of Immigration, a foreigner who was brought to Immigration detention with MVR 530,000 was released from detention in the late hours the same day.

The police institution went on to note that in connection with the case, five people were stopped and searched under a court order, and their electronic devices were taken into police custody. In addition to this, Shamaan's residence was searched, and a large amount of money and electronic devices were confiscated.

The four suspects arrested in connection with the case besides Shamaan are Mohamed Alsan Ismail, 21 and native to Buruni island of Thaa atoll, Ibrahim Ahmed, 37 native to the capital Malé City, and Hassan Saheshan, 47 native to the capital Malé City. They were arrested on the night of March 20. On March 21, Ahmed Lassaan, 40 and native to the capital city, was arrested.

In addition to this, the police institution revealed that in connection with the case, two individuals have been barred from leaving the country under a court order. A phone belonging to a family member of Shamaan was also confiscated, under a court order.

Further investigations are currently underway in connection with the case.