The Auditor General's Office revealed that four of the currently serving ministers and the prosecutor general have not submitted their mandatory asset declarations.
According to information publicised by the Auditor General's Office last month regarding asset declaration submissions for the ongoing presidential term from November 17, 2018 to November 16, 2023, Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla and Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen neither declared their assets upon their ministerial appointments nor submitted their annual declarations.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Aishath Nahula and Minister of Finance and Treasury Ibrahim Ameer did not submit their declarations for the year 2019, although they had declared their assets upon receiving their initial appointments.
In addition to sitting ministers, three former ministers also failed to submit asset declarations, according to the Auditor General.
Former Minister of Housing and Urban Development Aminath Athifa did not declare her assets for the year 2019, while former Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services Shidhatha Shareef and former Minister of Tourism had not turned in asset declarations the past year nor upon being appointed to office.
Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, who was appointed last year, did not submit his asset declaration upon appointment as well.
The Auditor General's Office also revealed that some members of the Presidential Commission of Corruption and Asset Recovery, and some former members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Presidential Commission on the Investigation of Murders and Enforced Disappearances (DDCom) failed to declare their assets. A few prominent names include former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's son Faris Maumoon who had served on JSC from 2018 to 2019, and Supreme Court Justice Husnu al-Suood who headed the DDCom from 2018 to 2019.
We call on @presidencymv and @mvpeoplesmajlis to ensure that the Cabinet, Members of Presidential Commissions, and Independent Institutions comply with their constitutional obligations and hold them accountable.#Haamakurey
— Transparency MV (@TransparencyMV) August 10, 2020
According to the Auditor General's Office, only President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Vice President Faisal Naseem and members of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Elections Commission (EC), and board members of the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) had all submitted their asset declarations on time.
Under the Maldivian Constitution and relevant Acts, the following entities are mandated to declare their assets to the Auditor General's Office on an annual basis:
- President and Vice President of Maldives
- Ministers on the Cabinet
- Prosecutor General
- Members of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)
- Members of Elections Commission (EC)
- Members of Judicial Service Commission (JSC)
- Board members of Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA)
- Members of the presidential commissions
However, the judiciary and members of the parliament are exempt from the mandatory asset declarations.
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