The President's Office on Monday dismissed the president of the National Integrity Commission (NIC), Ahmed Sulaiman, in accordance with the parliamentary report recommending his termination.
The move to dismiss Sulaiman was forwarded to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on July 21.
The report also pushed for the dismissal of three NIC members including Vice President Hassaan Hameed, Khadheeja Abdulla and Ahmed Ameen, in addition to the commission's president.
However, the other three members submitted their resignations after the parliament approved a proposal on July 8, advising President Solih to dismiss them.
NIC's failure to investigate police negligence concerning the disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan, despite probable cause for suspicion, was stated as one of the key arguments for dismissing the four members.
The report further noted that NIC had not responded to the parliamentary committee's request for information on how the commission would ensure undisrupted operations amid the ongoing State of Public Health Emergency declared over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Excluding Sulaiman, only Colonel (Retired) Ahmed Jihad remains on the NIC. He was appointed in late 2019 by the incumbent administration.
NIC acts as a watchdog for four state institutions: Maldives Police Service, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Maldives Correctional Service, and Maldives Customs Service.
As per the National Integrity Commission Act (27/2015), only the president can appoint and remove members from NIC.
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