The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced the former Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, to 25 years in prison and imposed a fine of MVR 500,000. He was found guilty of complicity in robbery, money laundering, and the abuse of official authority. The most significant portion of the sentence pertains to the money laundering conviction, for which he received a 15-year prison term. Additionally, the court ordered the restitution of MVR 500,000 stolen from a foreign national and the forfeiture of a portion of the funds discovered at his residence to the state. In delivering the verdict, Judge Ibrahim Ihsan stated that the maximum penalty was imposed because Shamaan’s actions—utilizing his high-ranking position for personal gain—had severely compromised the integrity and reputation of the institution.
