Ventilators case: decision on prosecution to be made this week

Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem has said that a decision on prosecution of the corruption case of ventilators that was to be brought into Maldives in connection with the coronavirus pandemic will be made this week.

PG Shameem made the statement while speaking at the presser held on Sunday.

PG Shameem stated at the press conference that the case is still in the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) and that it has been stalled. Nonetheless, he stated that he would make a decision this week.

The prosecution of the ventilators case has been delayed for a number of different reasons. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has forwarded the case to the PGO for charges to be filed against former Health Minister Abdullah Ameen and numerous other ministry officials. However, the PGO at first, decided not to file any charges due to lack of evidence.

After making necessary amendments, ACC in December 2022, sent the case back to the PGO, to file charges against three people. The three people are the former Deputy Minister of Health Shiyama Mohamed, former Director at the Ministry of Health Ahmed Aslam and the former Legal Officer at the Ministry of Health Ali Shiham.

Under the administration's work to control and be prepared for the worst case scenario of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dubai-based Executors Company was awarded the contract for the procurement of 75 ventilators to Maldives. However, the company shipped only 15 ventilators, several days after the request expired.

The country is yet to receive the rest of the 60 ventilators.

The Executors Company submitted a bid of MVR 34 million for the delivery of the ventilators. Ministry of Health at the time, paid the company MVR 30 million without signing the contract. This was done against the Monetary Rules and Regulations of Maldives. The Ministry went on to state that they awarded the delivery of ventilators to the company based on WHO guidance, which the organization rejected.