Police investigate Dhidhhoo Council's Financial Consultant's deception of Audit

Maldives Police Service has begun investigations into Dhidhhoo Council's IT and Financial Consultant, who stands accused of providing false information to the Auditor General's Office and violating the regulations of the council.

Police confirmed that the investigation is underway, and revealed that the individual is Iqbal Hameed from Faafu atoll Nilandhoo. The agency also revealed that the complaint was lodged by Dhidhhoo Council via letter.

A compliance audit report issued by the Auditor General's Office concerning Dhidhhoo council's performance in the year 2022 revealed that the council's IT and financial consultant had attempted to deceive the auditors by altering the council's bank statement.

While the Auditor General's Office has ordered that the matter be pursued as a criminal investigation, the report also highlighted concerns about the council renting a house for the Secretary General to reside in.

The Secretary General and IT consultant are married.

Regarding the deception of the Audit Office, Dhidhhoo Council issued a statement yesterday, alleging that it was orchestrated and executed by the couple, without the knowledge of council members. The statement also detailed that the Secretary General hired her husband as the IT and Financial Consultant fraudulently, and that she had confessed to this in front of her peers.

The audit also revealed that a total of MVR 138,517.99 was transferred from the council's accounts to the IT and financial consultant's account. This money was used to pay electricity bills for various government offices and to purchase supplies for the council. These transactions occurred between May 21 of last year and July 23 of this year, they said.

Reports say that the Secretary General has since resigned from the job since the case came to light, and that the IT and financial consultant has also now been dismissed from his job.