Sun has learned that Ismail Sajid, who was recently appointed head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) at central bank, Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), was suspended over sexual harassment allegations.
A reliable source told Sun on Tuesday that Sajid was suspended on Sunday and subsequently barred from reporting to the office.
Further investigations by Sun through reliable sources have uncovered that Sajidh is accused of sexually harassing an employee in a case which is now under investigation.
While the FIU performs vital work, the MMA, after failing to voluntarily announce the suspension of the Unit’s chief, has not responded to Sun’s calls on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sajid has also refused to comment regarding the allegations at the moment.
Sajid was appointed to the position in late August, shortly after a confidential FIU report examining transactions linked to PNC parliamentary group’s senior deputy leader Ibrahim Shujau (Shuja) was leaked on social media which outlined substantial deposits allegedly made to Shujau through the Army Welfare Cooperative (CIVEC).
Following Sajid’s appointment, long-serving FIU chief Abdulla Ashraf was reassigned as Head of Risk and Compliance. Ashraf, a lawyer with significant financial intelligence experience, had been removed from his FIU leadership role the same weekend the report was leaked.
 
Prior to joining the FIU, Sajid has been serving as a member of the Tax Appeal Tribunal. 
 
The FIU serves as the country’s central agency for collecting, analyzing, and sharing information related to money laundering, terrorism financing, and proceeds of crime. Its primary role is to receive financial transaction reports from reporting institutions, examine them, and, when necessary, provide actionable financial intelligence to law enforcement and regulatory authorities.