Local media Mihaaru on Sunday exposed Hussain Waheed as the Commissioner of Police (CP) who repeatedly accepted bribes from former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.
During a press conference held by investigative authorities last Thursday, current CP Mohamed Hameed disclosed that various Police personnel of different ranks were suspected of receiving embezzled funds from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal.
CP Hameed confirmed that a top official of the institution repeatedly accepted embezzled funds as bribes.
Although CP Hameed assured that Professional Standard Command was investigating these suspects, he did not reveal the identity of the top official involved in the corruption scandal.
At the joint press conference held by Police, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery, the authorities accused various Police personnel of accepting MMPRC's embezzled funds in return for committing illicit acts in violation of their line of duty.
Police stated that the names of these suspects will not be revealed since the investigations were ongoing.
Based on information revealed on Thursday, local media Mihaaru reported that the police was politically influenced while Hussain Waheed was filling the position of Police Commissioner.
According to Mihaaru, when the media contacted him regarding the matter, Hussain Waheed questioned if authorities revealed the name of the suspected Police Commissioner and refused to give a comment if they had not.
The media also reported that he denied his involvement in any illegal activities.
Although Hussain Waheed denied the allegations, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom formerly accused Police of being under political influence following the blast aboard the presidential speedboat during Yameen's tenure.
Then-Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was accused of orchestrating the explosion by infiltrating security forces to utilise their aid.
After the incident, Hussain Waheed was dismissed from Police and appointed as a State Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. Deputy Commissioner Hassan Habeeb was temporarily tasked with running the Police institution.
Mihaaru also reported that Habeeb, who has left Police since, was also amongst those who received large amounts of embezzled funds.
Investigative authorities disclosed that 276 individuals received funds embezzled through MMPRC, which was the largest corruption scandal in Maldivian history.
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