Laws to be amended to ease investigation of illicit enrichment

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has decided to change the country's laws to facilitate the investigation of government officials who abuse their position for illicit enrichment.

In a post published on X (formerly Twitter) last night, President Muizzu said that the government will be submitting amendments to the penal code in the coming week to remove obstacles in investigating and prosecuting corruption and unjust enrichment, which has taken root within government institutions.

As such, he detailed that Article 515 of the penal code is proposed to be amended, which defines benefits and official statuses.

The President said that the amendment would make it easier to investigate case of unjust enrichment being sought or obtained by public servants and former public servants, including the President, Ministers, Members of the Parliament and Judges.

Illicit enrichment was first declared a crime and included in the Penal Code in 2021, during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration.

Unjust or illicit enrichment refers to situations where a person benefits or gains something of value illegally, where often such persons have lives of grandiose beyond their official income.