Former Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh has been appointed as the new Immigration Controller following the sudden dismissal of Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, who had held the position since 19 November 2023.
President Mohamed Muizzu made the appointment on Friday, shortly after Shamaan’s abrupt removal from the role. The government has not disclosed the reason for Shamaan’s dismissal.
The appointment places the retired police commissioner at the level of State Minister.
Faseeh retired from the police service in 2012 after 23 years. He later served as Deputy CEO of Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) before being appointed to the Police Board on 12 December 2022.
Police have confirmed they are investigating allegations that some immigration employees have been abusing their positions to exploit foreign workers. Three people were arrested during an operation on Thursday night, though no further details were provided.
Local media, citing unnamed sources, reported that Shamaan is implicated in the case under police investigation. One newspaper confirmed that the dismissal is linked to the ongoing probe.
Neither Shamaan nor government officials have publicly commented on the matter.