High Court orders passport seizure of SeaLife Global head
Ahmed Moosa, head of SeaLife Global, was accused of obtaining funds from individuals for housing units to be developed on land allocated in Hulhumalé in 2014.
The High Court of Maldives has ordered the seizure of the passport of Ahmed Moosa Mohamed following an appeal against his acquittal in a fraud case.
Ahmed Moosa, head of SeaLife Global, was accused of obtaining funds from individuals for housing units to be developed on land allocated in Hulhumalé in 2014. The case involved payments made by 280 individuals for a proposed 3,000 housing units.
On May 30, 2021, the state filed 42 charges of embezzlement against him. Last week, the Criminal Court of Maldives ruled that the charges had not been proven.
The Prosecutor General’s Office Maldives stated that it has appealed the ruling. Following the appeal, the High Court ordered that Ahmed Moosa’s passport be withheld until the case is concluded.
The Criminal Court stated that the matter should be addressed through civil proceedings and that the claims were civil in nature. It ruled that the charges could not be sustained under criminal law.
The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that the elements required to establish embezzlement were met and that the lower court did not fully consider the evidence. It also stated that the law had been interpreted incorrectly.
The Housing Development Corporation has compensated individuals affected by the housing project.
According to available information, 203 individuals who purchased flats filed cases seeking compensation, of whom 192 have received payments following a settlement. HDC has also compensated 176 individuals who did not file cases but submitted their details.
