MMPRC corruption: Mahloof calls for ACC president's resignation after reports of case being rejected

Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office has denied reports of rejecting a case against the Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after completing its investigation forwarded the case against the minister for prosecution on June 9. There have since been reports that the Office sent back the case with claims that witness testimonies were obtained unlawfully and chain of custody issues of some of the evidence provided.

However, Public Prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu informed RaajjeMV that the case is till at the PG Office.

He said that they had requested some additional documents related to the case, as well "amend certain areas".

Mahloof, who denies any wrongdoing with claims that he is being made “a sacrificial lamb”, called for the resignation of ACC President Mariyam Shiuna “if she does not know how to do her job”.

He had previously accused investigative bodies of being influenced to omit certain names from the alleged MMPRC corruption list, asking whether the commission only able to find his name "from the 300 names on the list after three years of investigating”.

The minister also claimed that ACC is playing “a game” and added that he is “not a ball to be tossed around”.

While Mahloof is among the many people who are to have benefitted in the largest corruption scandal in the country’s history, it is one of the first investigations completed by the anti-graft commission in relation to the biggest corruption scandal in the country’s history other than the major players involved.

ACC on June 9 released a statement announcing the decision to seek charges against the minister in relation to the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal, with details of the accusations against him.

It said that there is evidence to believe that the USD 33,000 transferred to Mahloof’s account through SoF –the company used to funnel funds from the state- in August 2014 was a bribe by then Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb, to vote in favour of the government’s SEZ bill. ACC said that Mahloof had returned from Malaysia to take part in the SEZ bill vote after the funds were transferred to his account.

ACC said that after cross-checking the dates and exchanges between Mahloof and Adeeb following the vote, that the investigation shows that Adeeb had given the USD 33,000 to Mahloof as a bribe.

Mahloof, who at the time of the transaction was a lawmaker aligned with then ruling Progressive Party of Maldives led by then President Abdulla Yameen, said that he had merely voted as per a three-line whip issued by the party.

Further, ACC accuses Mahloof of submitting fake document to prove his innocence including a payment received receipt. The youth minister had claimed that the funds were transferred to his account as a currency exchange deal, and that he had paid SoF back in Maldivian Rufiyaa. However, ACC said that the document submitted does not prove such a transaction.

The minister has been under suspension since the ACC forwarded the case for prosecution on June 9, until the PG Office reaches a decision on the matter.