Former President Solih's investigation fuelled by political motives: MDP

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the government is trying to conduct a criminal investigation against former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu) with the intention of political intimidation.

This comes after the Parliament approved a recommendation to the Prosecutor General to conduct a criminal investigation against former President Solih yesterday, in connection with the payment of large sums of money to various parties by the settlement committee set up by the previous government.

In a press conference held by MDP yesterday, Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo) said that the President is constitutionally obliged to protect the rights of all citizens and at the same time, the Constitution empowers the President to set up committees to implement them.

The settlement committee was formed by President Solih within these rights and the Attorney General was also included in the committee, he said. He also emphsised that every decision of the committee was taken with the approval of the Cabinet and at the advice of the Attorney General.

"The government has passed an investigation into the former president and some members of the cabinet for political purposes. What the government is doing now is intimidation, because they're out of options" Ghafoor said.

Along with President Solih, the Public Accounts Committee also approved a criminal investigation the then Economic Minister and MDP Chairman Fayyaz Ismail as well as the then President's Office Minister Ali Shiyam.

The committee decided to order a criminal inquiry into President Solih and Ali Shiyam, who are brother in laws, as Ali Shiyam was the co-chair of the Economic Council in the previous government. The settlement agreements were decided by the Economic Council of the Cabinet back then.

The committee also decided that the settlement agreements signed from 2019 to 2023 under the regulations on out of court settlement of various disputes involving the government and the regulations on disputes related to government-private agreements, are invalid.

As such it was decided to issue a directive to the Attorney General's Office and other relevant agencies to recover all funds and goods issued as settlements under these agreements.

The committee further decided to notify the Attorney General's Office and other relevant agencies to investigate whether any compensation was paid out of the Public Finance Act or regulations made under the Act. If any such funds or goods are discovered, it is to be returned to the state.

At yesterday's Parliamentary committee meeting, MP Mamdhooh claimed that 36 islands, six lagoons and over USD two billion was issued to various parties as compensation, between 2018 and 2023.

An additional MVR 61.2 million was also to be issued to Dheebaja and another company. However, the transfer was blocked by the Attorney General's Office.