Former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem has stated that results will only be seen by dissolving the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and placing a commissioner instead.

According to Shameem's blog, the ACC, which was established to oversee corruption cases should be dissolved.

Shameem said that even though Maldives is naturally rich in resources, it has become a nation of poverty due to corruption, and that the funds to develop human resources have been lost due to corruption as well.

Shameem went on to say that the ACC was created to rid Maldives of corruption and that it has failed to do so. While shedding light on the statistics posted on the ACC's website in 2024, Shameem said that there are currently 1,036 cases that are still being investigated, with 2,465 cases in the preliminary stages, totaling 3,501 cases.

Shameem also said that only 297 cases have been completed by the commission yearly and that if it continues at this pace, it would take at least 11 years to go through the rest of the unfinished cases. Shameem stated that those cases can only be completed in such an extended period of time if they do not take on any cases, and that even the statistics show that the ACC has failed.

"And that is if the ACC does not take on any new cases from this year until 2037. Of the previously mentioned 297 cases, only 8 of them were sent to be tried at court. With that, ACC's statistics show that their investigative system has failed completely," as was written in Shameem's blog.

Shaheem said that in order to reform the ACC's investigative system, the ACC needs to see core changes and that he knows from his 20 years of experience that the ACC cannot bring about results if it continues to be an independent institution.

"Specifically, no results have been brought about with a 5-member commission."

He continued by stating that the ACC currently has a President who is a part of the ruling party and that it has been this way in each government.

And so, it is Shameem's opinion that instead of 5 members being in the ACC, there should be just one commissioner. The commissioner will be appointed by the Parliament and that they should have two deputies, one of them being experienced in the investigative sector and another being experienced in the prosecution and judicial sector. He also suggested that a Chief Executive Officer should be placed as well, along with technical and administrative individuals.

"A commissioner will be appointed by the Parliament. The rest of them will be the commissioner's team. The rest of the employees on the commission will be the technical and administrative employees of the offices."

Shameem said that during the commissioner's interview at the Parliament, they are to present a detailed 5-year term plan and that appointing an individual should be prioritized by the best proposal that is presented. He also suggested that their proposal should include details regarding the Parliament's budget, where the budget is to be changed so as to achieve the objectives outlined in the proposal.

Shameem stated that with that change, the culture where the Parliament reserves the right to dismiss members of independent commissions without proper reasoning will also see changes.

"A commissioner can only be dismissed if they do not follow through with any of the matters they outlined in the proposal or after they are shown that they were unable to accomplish a task and are given the opportunity to be held responsible for it."

Shameem said that under the new system, investigators of the ACC will include quality investigators from the police who have worked at the commissioner's office for a certain period, and that all of the training, salary and allowances for the investigators will be given out by the police. However, he said that for the three they are appointed to the commissioner's office for the three-year period, they are to make technical reports and be accountable to the commissioner, with 30 investigators to be appointed.

He also said that changing investigators every three years would eliminate any opportunity for any investigator being corrupted.

If the commissioner wishes, the PG office can extend the services of two to three prosecutors, and that it would be wise to change the administrative employees of the commission to other sectors, said Shameem.

Shameem stated that if work is to be done against corruption and if results are to be seen in the investigation of corruption cases, the results can be brought about with the said changes to the system. He said that there are many world-class youths in Maldives and that they want to be trusted and given an opportunity, with results following soon after.

Shameem said that the current President of the ACC is not capable of bringing about results and that handing over the work to those who can bring about results and solve the issue of corruption is the first step to be taken to steer the development of Maldives toward a good direction.