The Criminal Court has found Ahmed Moosa (Ammati), owner of Sea Life Global, not guilty of embezzlement charges linked to a major housing project in Hulhumale’.

Ammati had faced 42 counts of embezzlement for allegedly accepting advance payments from individuals for the construction of 3,000 flats. During a hearing on Thursday, the court ruled that the matter was civil in nature and should be addressed through the civil justice system, leading to his acquittal.

However, the Prosecutor General's Office disagreed with the ruling, stating that the charges meet the criteria under Article 215 of the Penal Code. The office argued that the court failed to properly consider the evidence and misinterpreted aspects of the law, including perjury.

As a result, the Prosecutor General’s Office has decided to appeal the decision at the High Court.

The case stems from an agreement between Housing Development Corporation and Sea Life Global Inc Pvt Ltd to develop 3,000 housing units in Hulhumale’. Ammati was formally charged on May 30, 2021.