Hussain Shifaau, who was sentenced to 109 years in prison for sending forged telegraphic transfers (TTs) to deceive foreign companies and obtain a large amount of goods, has been transferred to house arrest.
Shifaau was arrested in 2023 over a case involving the acquisition of MVR 1.9 million worth of goods by sending forged TTs to various parties, and the state raised 23 charges against him. These included nine counts of providing a forged document, seven counts of fraud and deception, and seven counts of money laundering.
The Criminal Court sentenced him to 109 years in prison and a fine of MVR seven million after proving those charges in December of last year.
When a journalist questioned Home Minister Ali Ihusaan at a press conference held at the President's Office today regarding whether Shifaau had been released to his home and what the reason was, the minister stated that the Prisons and Parole Act outlines circumstances under which a person can be temporarily transferred home.
Among them are situations where medical treatment cannot be provided while in prison and if a doctor recommends treatment by taking them to a specific location, the minister stated that such actions are also taken accordingly.
"[Shifaau] has now been transferred home for one month on a medical issue, initially for one month, and thereafter, if the medical condition does not recover, with an extension of another two months," Ihusaan stated.
The minister also stated that it will be monitored whether he lives in accordance with the conditions made for his transfer to house arrest, and if those conditions are violated, he will be immediately returned to prison.
The prison sentence handed down to Shifaau is the second-longest prison sentence ever delivered against an individual in the Maldives. This comprises a 70-year prison sentence for money laundering charges, a 30-year prison sentence for fraud and deception charges, and a nine-year prison sentence for charges of providing forged documents.
While a 109-year prison sentence was delivered against Shifaau in that case, the state had previously made a confession agreement with him to give a lenient sentence. However, the Criminal Court decided not to accept that agreement as it was not an agreement made with due regard to how the facts of the case transpired.
Prior to that, Shifaau was also appointed to a political position by this government. However, when the issue surfaced in the media, he was removed from the post.
While Shifaau was arrested in 2023 in connection with the accusations leveled against him, he traveled abroad after the court released him. Therefore, while an Interpol red notice had been issued to arrest him, he was re-arrested upon his return to the Maldives.
