Malé, Maldives – Parliament of Maldives has announced that Corruption and Asset Recovery Commission has sent the list of those who received money from Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal.
In an announcement released by the parliament today, it was revealed that Prosecutor General (PG) Office, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Asset Recovery Commission and the Police had sent the information requested by MP Hassan Latheef.
MP Hassan Latheef had requested Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed to request the institutions to get the information claiming that Parliament Committee on National Safety (241 Committee) chair MP Mohamed Aslam has not been proactive in trying to find information on the MMPRC corruption scandal.
The announcement stated that the list had names of people suspected of benefiting from the largest corruption scandal in the country and that people who used to work and some who are still working in the security forces, judiciary, independent institutions and as parliamentarians were implicated in the scandal.
It also revealed that people who held or are still holding government positions such as state ministers and ministers have also been implicated from the list sent by Corruption and Asset Recovery Commission to the parliament.
The list of those implicated in the MMPRC corruption scandal has been sent to parliament while Speaker Nasheed had told in an earlier parliament sitting that he would do anything to ensure that the investigation gets completed even if parliamentarians and ministers are implicated.
Speaker Nasheed also added that over 270 peoples names had been identified as those who had received the money from MMPRC scandal in one way or the other and that all of them would be tried at court. He also added that those who benefited from over USD 70 million stolen from the state included members of parliament, ministers and other senior officials in various institutions in Maldives.
He also told that a detailed report with the money trail details and other proof had been sent to the relevant government commission and that he has no double that the government would take the necessary actions against all of them.
Speaker Nasheed’s remarks on the subject in parliament came while MDP had passed not to allow anyone who had been implicated in the grand scandals to run for their internal elections.
In the national steering committee meeting held on April 24, 2021 in Malé City, MP for Maafannu central constituency, Ibrahim Rasheed (Bondey) submitted a decree which stated that people competing for the parties national council must have certain requirements to meet.
MP Bondey specifically had stated that those who have been implicated in the MVR 3.4 billion MMPRC grand scanda, those who had their names sent to various investigative authorities by Anti Corruption Commission regarding ongoing investigations and those who have been accused in criminal acts by Presidential Commission on Unresolved Murders and Enforced Disappearances cannot compete for the national council.
In addition to this, people who have been accused of rape and other sexual abuse cases also cannot compete in the party’s internal elections. The national steering committee had also decided that people who have joined the party less than a year ago also cannot compete.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had announced to hold the party’s National Council elections of May 29, 2021. The party stated that only members registered to the constituencies would be eligible to vote for administrative committees of the constituencies election and provincial elections.
MDP also added that only those who were registered as members until April 18, 2021 would be eligible to vote and that membership applications till May 29, 2021 will be put on a halt.
While MDP members including MDP leadership members have started to campaign for the internal elections of the party, Speaker of Parliament and President of MDP, Mohamed Nasheed had informed that he has interest to become Prime Minister, which is expected to heat up the MDP internal election campaigns.
