MDP Chairperson Fayyaz summoned to ACC

Chairperson of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Fayyaz Ismail, was summoned to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct during his tenure in government.

Fayyaz, who previously served as Minister of Economic Development under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration, appeared at ACC at 09:30am and remained inside for approximately an hour and a half, departing the premises at around 11am.

The investigation concerns allegations of undue compensation awarded to Swift Engineering Private Limited in 2019. Fayyaz is accused of participating in a decision made by the Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee, of which he was a member, that allegedly resulted in financial gain for the company. Authorities suspect that he may have misused his official position to extend unlawful benefits and acted contrary to the interests of the state in a matter where the state was positioned to secure a more favorable outcome.

His summoning follows a broader investigation involving multiple officials from the former administration. Former Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer was questioned by the ACC on Sunday, and former Education Minister Dr. Aishath Ali is scheduled to appear before the commission on Wednesday.

ACC has not released further details regarding the status or scope of the investigation.