Former Immigration Controller Mohamed Shammaan has appealed the 25-year prison sentence handed down by the Criminal Court.

Shammaan’s lawyer has filed an appeal against the state at the High Court, although the court has not yet decided whether to accept the case.

The prosecution charged Shammaan with three offences after alleging that he took MVR500,000 from a foreign national who was in Immigration custody and brought the money to his home.

The Criminal Court sentenced Shammaan to 25 years in prison for money laundering, complicity in extortion and abuse of official position.

He was sentenced to 15 years for money laundering, eight years for complicity in extortion and two years for abuse of official position.

Shammaan spent nine months and 10 days in custody during the investigation and trial. The court ordered that this period be deducted from his sentence.

In addition to the prison sentence, Shammaan was fined MVR500,000 and ordered to repay the MVR500,000 allegedly extorted from the foreign national within three months.

The court also ordered the state to recover MVR125,000 from the MVR200,000 and USD10,000 (approximately MVR154,000) found at Shammaan’s residence.