High Court issues travel ban order against Ammaty

The High Court has issued a travel ban order against SeaLife Global’s managing director Ahmed Moosa Mohamed (Ammaty) – on trial for defrauding over 200 tenants out of millions in booking fees for a planned apartment complex in suburban Hulhumale’ – following appeal of decision by the Criminal Court to temporarily lift an earlier travel ban on him, allowing him to travel overseas for medical treatment.

The Criminal Court had lifted the travel ban on Ammaty on December 6, after he requested permission to travel overseas to undergo a spinal surgery. According to the court, the decision was only temporary – from 05:00 pm December 6 to 11:00 pm December 26.

The state appealed the decision with the High Court – seeking an injunction to suspend his passport or travel document.

The court decided on Monday that if Ammaty were to travel overseas, it would result in a loss of the purpose of the appeal.

The court issued an injunction, ordering Maldives Immigration to bar him from leaving the Maldives.

SeaLife announced its 3,000-apartment housing project, the SeaLife Complex in Hulhumale’, back in 2015.

280 tenants paid a booking fee of MVR 50,000 (some more than MVR 50,000). But the SeaLife Complex was never built.

The cumulative total of the booking fees collected by SeaLife is estimated to be upwards of MVR 14 million.

Housing Development Corporation (HDC) later intervened to reimburse the tenants who submitted documents to the corporation, and they were given priority in the sale of Vinares apartments.

Ammaty, who had an Interpol red notice out for his capture since 2019, was arrested in neighboring Sri Lanka in February, 2021.

Ammaty, who has been pressed with 42 charges of fraud and embezzlement, faces 65 years in prison if the charges are proven against him in court.