High Court orders Sunland shareholder to pay USD 3.7m

The High Court of Maldives has ordered Hussain Hilmy, a shareholder of the Sunland Hotels to pay USD 3.7 million to well-known businessman Ismail Shujau.

Shujau claimed against Hilmy and Castaway Maldives after three cheques issued by the company and signed by Hilmy failed to return funds due to a lack of funds in the account.

The company and Hilmy had obtained the money from Shujau before the cheques were issued for the money to be returned to Shujau. The businessman Shujau claimed the matter in court to obtain the money in question.

The High Court said that Shujau had claimed against Hilmy and Castaway Maldives to pay USD 3.7 million, the money equivalent to the amount stipulated in the three cheques to Shujau, in a single payment. 

Earlier, the Civil Court had ruled that Shujau had failed to prove the payment of USD 3.7 million by Hilmy and Castaway.

On appeal, the High Court ruled that Shujau had informed Hilmy of the returned cheques totaling USD 3.7 million. 

Hilmy had been previously arrested under a court order in 2018. He was arrested on suspicion of bounced cheques.