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Police search four Male' residences over MMPRC graft

Shahudha Mohamed
02 July 2020, MVT 11:14
Officers on duty in Male' City. Police is conducting further investigations into the embezzlement scandal of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). PHOTO: MIHAARU
Shahudha Mohamed
02 July 2020, MVT 11:14

Maldives Police Service, on Wednesday, revealed that authorities are inspecting four buildings located in Male' City, as part of the ongoing investigations into the MVR 1.3 billion corruption scandal involving Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

According to Police, a search spanning over residence in capital Male' and reclaimed suburb Hulhumale' is underway, conducted in collaboration with the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery.

Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) is also contributing to the investigation, Police said.

Following the conclusion of the operation, details about the findings will be revealed by ACC.

Police have previously conducted similar joint operations with the Presidential Commission on Investigation of Murders and Enforced Disappearances as well. However, no individuals have yet been charged following these investigations.

Reports released by investigative bodies last October list 267 individuals amongst those who benefitted from the largest corruption scandal recorded in the history of Maldives.

Investigations into the MMPRC scandal commenced in 2015, and several cases were forwarded to the Prosecutor General's Office last year for indictment.

Although police claimed that authorities have collected evidence of corruption, investigations have proceeded at a snail's pace, and only a few individuals have been charged during the past half-decade.

Police state that former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb masterminded the MMPRC fraud, with the assistance of MMPRC's former Managing Director Abdulla Ziyath.

Both of these suspects are currently under house arrest.

Out of those heavily accused of their involvement in embezzling the MMPRC state funds, only former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is serving jail time.

Yameen was convicted of money laundering over a transaction that involved a deposit of USD 1 million by SOF Pvt Ltd, to his personal account at Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB).

The Criminal Court sentenced the ex-president to five years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of USD 5 million over the money laundering charges.

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