Former Immigration Controller remanded in custody for 15 days

The former Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shammaan Waheed has been remanded in custody for 15 days.

Shammaan was dismissed from the Controller General position last Thursday and arrested the following night under a court order. When produced before the Criminal Court today to decide on his remand, the court ordered him to be remanded in custody for 15 days.

Shammaan is accused of extorting a large sum of money from a foreigner who was arrested during an immigration raid, and ordering his release from the immigration detention centre using his positional influence. It is believed that the three officers who were involved in the raid went directly to Shammaan’s apartment with MVR 530,000 seized from the foreigner.

Before Shammaan’s arrest, police raided his house early Thursday night and recovered a large amount of Maldivian Rufiya and foreign currency. Police also seized a large number of electronic equipment from Shammaan’s apartment.

Police have also arrested all three officers involved in the raid. Their identities, however, have not been released.