The Supreme Court has decided not to proceed with the appeal submitted by former Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, who remains in custody pending the conclusion of his trial on allegations of abuse of authority for personal financial benefit.

Shamaan was arrested on March 22 alongside three other immigration officers in connection with a case involving the alleged extortion of money from expatriate workers. The Criminal Court initially ordered a 15-day detention, a decision his legal team attempted to appeal to the High Court on March 27. However, the High Court’s Registrar declined to accept the case.

Following a request for review, a panel of three High Court judges overturned the Registrar’s decision, stating that Shamaan’s appeal raised legitimate legal questions. Nevertheless, when the initial 15-day detention period expired, the Criminal Court ruled for Shamaan to remain in custody until the end of the trial.

The High Court upheld this decision, finding no grounds for alteration. Shamaan’s legal team then escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, which has now declined to accept the case.

According to the Maldives Police Service, the case centres on allegations that immigration officers, acting under Shamaan’s directive, abused their authority by raiding a residence housing expatriates, detaining several individuals and confiscating cash. Police said one expatriate, taken into custody with MVR 530,000, was released early the next morning on Shamaan’s orders.

During a search of Shamaan’s residence, investigators reportedly discovered MVR 257,475, USD 10,000, foreign currencies, and various electronic devices. Authorities suspect the funds were obtained through illicit means from expatriate workers.

The case remains under investigation.