The Prosecutor General's (PG) office has pressed charges against former Immigration Controller Shamaan Waheed and Immigration employees who were arrested with him for allegedly extorting money from a foreigner.
Shamaan and five others were arrested in connection with the case. They are Mohamed Alsan Ismail, Hassan Seheshan, Ibrahim Ahmed and Ahmed Lassan. Police filed the case on May 12, seeking charges against them.
If Shamran is convicted of the theft charge, the basic punishment is three years, two months and 12 days in jail. If convicted of abuse of official status, the basic punishment is one year, seven months and six days in jail. If convicted of money laundering, he faces a heavy fine and five to 15 years in prison.
If convicted of the three charges, Shamaan faces a minimum of nine years, nine months and 18 days in jail. If sentenced to 15 years for money laundering, he faces 19 years and nine months in prison.
Ibrahim was charged with theft, unauthorized possession of another person's property, abuse of official status and facilitating money laundering.
Lassan was charged with theft and abuse of official status while Alsan was charged only with abuse of official position and Hassan Seheshan was charged with participation in the theft.
Shamaan is currently in custody pending the trial. He appealed his remand in the High Court but was unsuccessful.
In a post on social media, Shamaan's wife Hidhfa Faiz said her husband had been arrested "unjustly and framed." But Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan has denied these allegations.
Shamaan was detained on March 22, one day after his dismissal as Immigration Controller, for allegedly releasing a detained foreigner and extorting MVR 530,000 from him.
