Shifau gets 109 years, Maldives' longest sentence

The Criminal Court has sentenced Hussain Shifau to 109 years in prison along with a MVR 7 million fine for conducting business with invalid Telegraphic Transfers (TT) sent to overseas companies.

Via self-owned company "Kingdom of Fruits", Shifau sent fraudulent transactions to overseas companies in 2023 and was detained that year, with the state initially bringing 23 charges against Shifau. The charges proven were nine counts of knowingly providing an invalid document and seven counts of fraud and deception.

Presiding Judge Ali Nadheem's sentencing of Shifau for each individual charge totaled 109 years in prison along with a MVR 7 million fine during today's Criminal Court sitting.

This is the longest prison sentence that has been issued in Maldives.

The money laundering charges totaled a prison sentence of 70 years, the fraud and deception charges totaled a prison sentence of 30 years and the charges of knowingly providing an invalid document totaled a prison sentence of 9 years.

Shifau's defense requested for house arrest or for a part of the sentence to be changed to house arrest. Shifau's defense lawyer stated that Shifau is a responsible person and that he has no other criminal record aside from his current situation. 

As per his lawyer, Shifau is looking after his family. And so, his lawyer requested it be taken into account as well.

Shifau stated that he will only be able to return the funds if he is free from prison and so he requested for the lightest sentence possible.

Before Shifau was sentenced to 109 years in prison, the prosecution had written up a plea agreement with him. Nevertheless, as the agreement was made without taking into account what had transpired, the Criminal Court had decided not to acknowledge the agreement. 

While his case was in court, he was appointed as the Senior Political Director at the Ministry of Agriculture and Welfare. However, he was dismissed from the position once the media had publicized his case.

While Shifau was detained in 2023, he fled Maldives after he was released from the court. Interpol had issued a Red Notice, with Shifau coming back to Maldives of his own will, subsequently being arrested and released after his passport was confiscated.