ACC's investigation into Gayoom possibly contradicts statutes of limitations: Maumoon Hameed

The Anti-Corruption Commission’s case against former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, on allegations dating back nine years, is in possible violation of the penal code’s statutes of limitations, prominent lawyer Maumoon Hameed has said.

Hameed, who is a nephew to incumbent President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, said this while the ACC has moved to question Gayoom over audits of the presidential residence dating back to 2008 and 2009.

Further, Hameed said that the charges made against Gayoom are yet unclear.

“From all the information that we have now, and that is in the media currently, we know that former President Gayoom is being investigated for allegations connected to an audit report that is about a decade old. While out constitution states that everyone is entitled to a speedy trial, there are also statutes of limitations enshrined in the penal code. The idea that a man can be investigated for something that is a decade old constitutes a possible violation of the penal code, and the fact that he is still has not received full details of the nature of these charges throws the legality of it into question” Hameed said.

Gayoom has provided the ACC with a date on which he would present himself for questioning, after the commission announced that it was investigating the case. He provided the commission with the date after it revealed that it intended to summon him.

While Gayoom is to attend ACC’s questioning on either Tuesday or Wednesday, he has denied any culpability for the allegations.

The ACC began investigating claims of discrepancies in the audit reports for Theemuge, the official presidential residence, on 2008 and 2009.