Former Controller General of Maldives Immigration, Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, has been remanded in custody pending the outcome of his corruption trial.

The Criminal Court ordered Shamaan, 36, to remain in jail after police sought an extension of his remand on Sunday.

He had previously contested his detention at the High Court, but the appeal was rejected.

Shamaan was dismissed from his position on March 21, shortly before police raided his residence and seized MVR 257,475, USD 10,000, other foreign currencies, and electronic devices.

His dismissal followed the launch of a police investigation into allegations that several Immigration officials had abused their authority to obtain unlawful benefits from expatriate workers.

According to police, their investigation found that certain Immigration staff had misused their positions to conduct an unauthorized search of an expatriate accommodation.

According to a detailed statement issued by police, the corruption investigation into former Immigration chief Mohamed Shamaan Waheed stems from an unauthorized operation conducted on March 12 targeting foreign workers residing in a house in Malé’s Maafannu ward.

The operation, carried out with Shamaan’s knowledge, was conducted without the proper documentation required for such enforcement actions.

Investigators found that the operation was led by three Immigration employees who were not assigned to field operations. Instead, they worked in the Controller General’s Bureau and in the planning and media departments.

During the raid, seven expatriates were searched, and a large sum of money was recovered from one of them.

The individual was taken to the Immigration office at M. Star Cloud on March 13 and released later that night under what police described as Shamaan’s urgent instructions.

Police said the money was returned to the expatriate in a bag, which was then transported via motorcycle to an Immigration vehicle and later delivered to Shamaan’s residence.

Subsequent searches of his home resulted in the seizure of MVR 257,475, USD 10,000, and other items, all of which were taken into police custody.

Shamaan was appointed Immigration chief on November 19, 2023, just two days after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu assumed office.

He was replaced within hours of his dismissal by former Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Faseeh.