Shifau, sentenced to 109 years in prison over fraudulent telegraphic transfers, transferred to house arrest!

Hussain Shifau, who was sentenced to 109 years in prison for defrauding foreign companies of goods worth $123,000 (MVR 1.9 million) using forged Telegraphic Transfers (TTs), has been transferred to house arrest.

During a press conference held at the President's Office on Tuesday, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan confirmed that Shifau has been transferred to house arrest.

The Minister stated that the Prisons and Parole Act outlines specific circumstances under which an inmate may be temporarily transferred to house arrest. These include situations where necessary medical treatment cannot be provided within the prison facility, or when a physician recommends that the individual be moved to a specific location for specialized care.

Shifau was initially released to home confinement for a period of one month. This arrangement includes a provision to extend his stay by an additional two months if his condition does not show improvement. Authorities will monitor Shifau to ensure he complies with the conditions of his house arrest; any violation of these terms will result in his immediate return to prison.

Ali Ihusaan

Shifau was arrested in 2023 in connection with a scheme to obtain goods using fraudulent telegraphic transfers (TTs). The state has filed 23 charges against him, including 16 counts of fraud and seven counts of money laundering.

Presiding Judge Ali Nadeem of the Criminal Court has found Shifau guilty on all 23 counts. Although the state moved to forfeit the $123,000 laundered in the case, the judge ruled that a forfeiture order could not be issued, noting that the prosecution had failed to identify the current location of the funds.