The High Court of the Maldives has concluded hearings in the state's appeal against the acquittal of SeaLife Global Managing Director Ahmed Moosa Mohamed, known as Ammaty, over alleged fraud in a 3,000-apartment housing project in Hulhumalé, Sun Online reported.
A three-judge bench consisting of Chief Judge Abdulla Jameel Moosa, Judge Mohamed Shaneez Abdulla, and Judge Abdul Maaniu Hussain wrapped up arguments and placed the high-profile case for judgment. The proceedings moved swiftly compared with the appellate court's typical multi-year timeline, concluding within six months of the state filing its challenge in April.
The Prosecutor General's Office appealed the decision after the Criminal Court dismissed all 42 criminal charges against Ahmed Moosa Mohamed. The lower court ruled that the allegations represented a commercial dispute rather than criminal conduct and should be addressed through civil courts.
SeaLife Global was awarded a contract in 2014 to develop 3,000 housing units in Hulhumalé. Prosecutors allege that the developer collected millions of rufiyaa in advance booking deposits from more than 200 prospective buyers without constructing the homes. After failing to appear for court hearings, Ahmed Moosa Mohamed left the country, was arrested in Sri Lanka in 2021, and was subsequently extradited. When appeal hearings opened earlier this year, the High Court impounded his passport and placed him on an overseas travel ban.
During the final hearing, Ahmed Moosa Mohamed rejected the prosecution's claims and accused state lawyers of distorting facts and documents:
"The state must speak the truth in court, based on the actual events and documentation. The state is currently claiming that we took bookings and sold non-existent flats using random numbers. That never happened."
He argued that legal proceedings must rely strictly on verifiable documentation rather than state mischaracterisations, according to Sun Online. The bench will issue a verdict at a scheduled hearing date to be announced soon.
