K-Park Mamdhooh sentenced to 397 years in prison

Hassan Mamdhooh (Mandey), has been sentenced to 397 years in prison for defrauding buyers in connection with the sale of flats at K-Park Residence.

Mamdhooh, a shareholder of Hanbo Company, the developer of the project, was charged with 104 offences, including selling the same apartment units to multiple buyers and misappropriating the proceeds for personal use. The charges included 50 counts of fraud, 50 counts of obtaining illicit benefit through misrepresentation, three counts of issuing invalid documents, and one count of money laundering.

Criminal Court found Mamdhooh guilty on the majority of the charges and handed down sentences amounting to a combined total of 397 years’ imprisonment.

He was sentenced to 368 years in prison for 46 counts of fraud, eight years for each count. He received an additional 14 years for 44 counts of obtaining illicit benefit through misrepresentation, 15 years for money laundering, and 18 months for three counts of issuing invalid documents.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Mamdhooh to repay all money taken from victims and imposed a fine of MVR 30 million for money laundering. The court also ordered the state to seize a penthouse apartment he purchased in Hulhumale'.

Mamdhooh’s co-accused, Jaishan Saeed of Raa Atoll Alifushi, was sentenced to more than 150 years in prison after being convicted on 86 of the 95 charges brought against him. Jaishan received 139 years for 44 counts of participating in fraud, 13 years for 40 counts of obtaining illicit benefit through misrepresentation, and five years for 40 counts of aiding money laundering.

Both men were ordered to return the misappropriated funds within six months.

Jaishan’s lawyer requested that part of his sentence be commuted to house arrest and a fine, and that the prison sentence be served after the house arrest period. The request was rejected.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Ali Nadheem said there were aggravating circumstances warranting enhanced punishment, adding that the sentences should serve as a lesson to others.

The court ruled that the remaining 16 charges against the accused were not proven.