Malé, Maldives – President of the People’s National Congress (PNC) Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey) has stated that the opposition will be filing a no confidence vote against the Prosecutor General of Maldives Hussain Shameem, at the Parliament.
This comes after former President and current Speaker of the Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed called for the resignation of PG Shameem over his refusal to press charges against those involved in the ventilator corruption scandal.
In a news conference kept today, Adhurey said that the PNC/PPM coalition would filed a no confidence motion against PG Shameem, just to see if the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will keep their word. He also said that MDP has the power to remove PG from office without the help of any other parties.
I can initiate the no confidence vote of the PG. If you have the people’s best interest in your heart, please be ready to vote.
Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey), President of People’s National Congress (PNC)
According to ACC, the PG office had decided to uphold their earlier decision to not go ahead with the prosecution of the 11 individuals involved in the case including the then Minister of Health Abdullah Ameen, stating that there was no new reason for changing PGs earlier stance on the case. They added that their review of the case submitted by ACC revealed no new elements that provide the basis for prosecuting those involved.
The entire ventilator scandal came to light following an audit by the Auditor General’s Office, which suggested foul play in all three contracts awarded by the Ministry of Health, to procure 142 ventilators for the state during the year 2020. Dubai’s Executors General Trading LLC was in charge of the delivery of the ventilators.
While 60 ventilators have still not been delivered, many of which are not even expected to arrive in the Maldives at all anymore, MVR 30.91 million was paid to the company in advance.
