The Prosecutor General’s Office has filed criminal charges against Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo Mayor Saud Ali over allegations that he misrepresented the island’s population to obtain city status.

The case was forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office last month over allegations that Saud misrepresented the island’s population in 2023 to meet the requirements for city status.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said today that two charges have been filed against Saud: knowingly issuing an invalid document and providing false information to official agencies.

The charge of knowingly issuing an invalid document relates to a letter Saud submitted to the Local Government Authority (LGA) claiming that Thinadhoo had a population of 10,000. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the letter included the names of residents from other islands and repeated some names.

The charge of providing false information to an official body relates to statements Saud allegedly made to police, claiming that a list submitted to state agencies as part of the process to obtain city status was not recorded.

If convicted of knowingly issuing an invalid document, Saud faces up to one year and seven months in prison. If convicted of providing false information to an official body, he faces up to four months and 24 days in prison.

A mayor will lose their position if sentenced to more than one year in prison.