The Edition
facebook icon twitter icon instagram icon linkedin icon

Latest

Maldives opposition to seek pres arrest over tourism graft

Mohamed Visham
20 June 2016, MVT 10:09
President Yameen (R) pictured with his then deputy Ahmed Adheeb during a ceremony. PHOTO/VNEWS
Mohamed Visham
20 June 2016, MVT 10:09

The newly formed opposition coalition Sunday said it would ask the police to investigate the major allegations of mass embezzlement and corruption against president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

The opposition has continuously called for the investigation of President Yameen for alleged connections to what has been described the Maldives’ biggest ever corruption scandal which came to light during the investigation into the boat blast aboard the presidential speedboat late last year.

Opposition has maintained that the president is equally involved in the corruption involving his former deputy Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor who has been convicted of the boat blast and the state tourism promotion firm Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

More than USD79 million received by MMPRC was distributed through a private company with links to the then VP.

President Yameen has vehemently denied any connection to the scandal, with Adheeb, the former head of MMPRC Abdulla Ziyath and influential businessman Hamid Ismail now standing trial on corruption charges.

The statement by the Maldives United Opposition's deputy leader Ali Waheed came after the police said it was looking to question the former vice president and the coalition's leader Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed over the forged warrant to arrest the president.

In addition to Jameel, police are also looking to question opposition aligned Raajje TV Chairman over an active investigation.

Police spokesman Ismail Ali confirmed that Dr Jameel and Akram who are both currently living in exile in the United Kingdom are being sought for questioning over “several active police investigations.”

“One of the cases is the forged arrest warrant against the president,” Ali confirmed.

“We are trying to serve the summons. We will decide on the next course of action after that.”

Ali Waheed who himself is residing in the UK said on Twitter that the coalition would ask the police to have president Yameen arrested to conduct the investigations.

Jameel had fled to the UK last July days before he was impeached in a controversial vote which was alleged to have been orchestrated by his eventual successor Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor who himself was impeached following a blast aboard the presidential speedboat.

He has now been convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for orchestrating the blast, now confirmed as a plot to kill the president.

The newly formed opposition alliance had said it will seek to oust incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and form an interim government to ensure free and fair elections scheduled in 2018.

Five rival opposition groups had announced a united front to remove president Yameen from office.

The Maldives United Opposition brings together the Maldivian Democratic Party, the Adhaalath Party, two of Yameen’s former deputies and his former defence minister.

Meanwhile, the former chief prosecutor Muhuthaz Muhsin was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 17 years in prison after the court found him guilty of forging the warrant to arrest the president.

The arrest warrant was issued from the Alif Dhaal Maamigili magistrate court in February. In addition to Muhuthaz, the chief magistrate of the court Ahmed Nihan was also sentenced to prison over the case.

A prosecution witness had testified that the warrant was sought on orders of the ex VP Jameel, an accusation he strongly denies.

Share this story

Discuss

MORE ON NEWS