Ishan appointed as head of FIU
Ismail Sajid, the former head of FIU, was dismissed following a determination that allegations of sexual harassment against him were substantiated, though he denies the claims and has filed a formal appeal. Sajid’s initial appointment to the role came after the removal of his predecessor, Abdulla Ashraf, which occurred shortly after the leak of a financial intelligence report involving Ibrahim Shujau, the Senior Deputy Leader of the ruling PNC’s parliamentary group.
Mohamed Ishan appointed as the new head of FIU. | MMA | MMA
Mohamed Ishan was appointed as the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) on Thursday.
The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) stated that Ishan was selected for the position following interviews conducted with staff members who applied for the role of Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) after the opportunity was opened internally.
The new head of the FIU, Ishan, is an experienced Chartered Accountant with advanced qualifications in the field of finance. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) in the United Kingdom and an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Maldives.
Prior to this appointment, Ishan held several key positions at the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA). His previous roles include serving as the Head of the Corporate Accounts Section and the Head of the Financial Controls Division.
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is an independent body established within the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) under the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act. The unit's primary responsibility is to identify cases of money laundering and terrorism financing and to disseminate relevant information to the appropriate authorities. Under the law, the Governor of the central bank holds the full authority to appoint and dismiss the head of this unit.
The position of the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) became vacant following the dismissal of Ismail Sajid. According to reports, Sajid was removed from the post over allegations of sexual harassment. However, he has contested the decision, filing a case against the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) at the Employment Tribunal. Sajid was initially appointed to lead the FIU after the removal of his predecessor, Abdulla Ashraf, which occurred shortly after the leak of a financial intelligence report involving allegations against Ibrahim Shujau, the Senior Deputy Leader of the ruling PNC parliamentary group.
Ishan assumed the office after the position had remained vacant for some time.
