Malé, Maldives – The trial of Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Minister Ahmed Mahloof charged with bribery under the Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act, 2000 (Act No. 2/2000) is scheduled to begin next week.
The trial against Youth Minister Mahloof is set for 19 January 2021, Wednesday.
According to the investigation carried out by Maldives Police Service, Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery and Anti Corruption Commission over the MMPRC corruption, Mahloof had taken a bribe of USD 33,000 to vote for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Bill and also to remain in Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
In addition to this, the joint investigation also showed that the investigation was able to link the text messages exchanged between Mahloof and Former Vice President of Maldives, Ahmed Adeeb (Bro) and the money deposited by SOF cheque of USD 33,000 to Mahloof to the vote taken in parliament as a bribe.
It was also revealed that Mahloof had given forged documents to Anti-Corruption Commission in an attempt to show that he had done a legitimate transaction to purchase dollars from SOF.
Mahloof, in his defence, says that he was a PPM Council member at the time of the vote of SEZ bill and voted as per the three-line whip set out for the vote by the party. He has also accused the PGO of malicious prosecution and threatened that the government would be stripped naked if they decide to prosecute.
