Maldives ex-VP quizzed over president's link to tourism graft

Maldives' graft watchdog has questioned former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor over the transfer of funds linked to the largest embezzlement of state funds in history to a private account of incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Adheeb who was convicted and sentenced to eight years for misappropriating acquisition fees paid by a foreign company for the 50-year lease of a lagoon in the capital atoll.

Maldives Media and PR Corporation (MMPRC) had mediated the leasing of over 59 different tourist hotels, resorts and yacht marinas out of which 53 had been leased through an agreement with the tourism ministry.

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

Sources say the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) officials had gone to the main prison in Maafushi island to question the ex-VP.

ACC vice president Muavviz Rasheed said the commission was investigating all allegations and suspicions surrounding the MMPRC scandal.

President Yameen had been questioned by the ACC over a transaction that a company involved in the MMPRC scandal had made to his personal account in the Islamic Bank.

Police meanwhile had said MMPRC had illegally transferred funds received as acquisition cost by leasing the island for resort development to a company. The funds were then transferred to the accounts of several suspects in the blast, authorities had said.

The former VP was convicted of orchestrating the blast and sentenced to 15 years in prison which added to the 10 year prison sentence he received for a weapons possession conviction a day earlier.

Authorities have also alleged that some of the money had been used to fund the blast aboard the presidential speedboat in September last year.

President Yameen and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim were travelling to Male from the airport on September 28 when the explosion took place. They had returned home that morning after concluding their visit to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual hajj pilgrimage.

The president was unhurt, but the first lady suffered a spinal fracture.