Malé, Maldives – Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) requests to prosecute two former political appointees of the Housing Ministry for selling off a land in Malé unlawfully.
ACC revealed that they have investigated and sent a case to the Prosecutor Generals Office yesterday against the former Deputy Minister of Housing Ministry, Naaif Shaukath and the Coordinator of the Housing Ministry, Hassan Waheed.
A statement released by ACC stated that when a land was split for two new owners, the new owner of one part of the land had requested the Housing Ministry to help them sell it. While the Ministry had opened opportunities to the general public to purchase it, the Ministry had wrongfully denied selling off the land to an individual and sold the land to another individual of their interest without considering the requirements.
ACC wrote on their statement that from their investigation, they have found out that the decision of the Ministry to sell the land to someone else was by the influence of former Deputy Minister of Housing Ministry, Naaif Shaukath and the Coordinator of the Housing Ministry, Hassan Waheed as they had taken advantage of their position to help someone of their choice gain the land wrongfully.
For this, ACC stated that they have sent a request to the Prosecutor General’s Office requesting to prosecute Naaif Shaukath and Hassan Waheed under the Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act 2000 to stop corruption for using their official position wrongfully to take advantage of a situation instead of fulfilling their rightful duties.
The evidence that we have received from the investigation proves that the acts of Naaif Shaukath and Hassan Waheed was intended to provide advantage to a certain citizens and that the individual has gained advantage from their actions.
ACC stated.
ACC detailed the case and stated that Aathifa Hassan (M.Gusanfaage/ Male’) and a family member of hers were owners of a 260 square foot land that was split. Under the rule to sell the lands that were assigned to the state in the program that was ongoing at that moment, the state had informed Aathifa Hassan that the remaining half of the land will be sold to her.
However, ACC stated that from the conclusion of their investigation, it reveals that the Ministy had later informed Aathifa Hassan that the decision to sell the land to her has come to a halt as the Ministry is amending the “Rule to sell of the lands given to the state through Veshifahi Male’ program.”
ACC revealed that despite this, the Ministry had continued to hand over all the other lands except Aathifa Hassan’s land and that all of this was done under the supervision of Hassan Waheed, proving that informing Aathifaa that her land cannot be given due to amendments to the “Rule to sell of the lands given to the state through Veshifahi Male’ program” was a lie and that it was the doing of Hassan Waheed. ACC stated that the this was proved by the signed documents of Hassan Waheed and from the people who were questioned during the investigation as well.
ACC mentioned that the investigation proved that Hassan Waheed was clearly taking advantage of his position. Along with this, ACC stated that the investigation also revealed that the former Deputy Minister of the Housing Ministry, Naaif Shaukath is also at fault as he did not consider the living condition or any other necessary factors before selling off the land and that the land was sold against the rules of the “Veshifahi Male’ program”.
As ACC has enough evidence to prove that the actions of the two former higher political appointees from the Housing Ministry were wrong and that the land was not given to the rightful individual, ACC has requested the Prosecutor Generals Office to prosecute these two members.
