Mayor Saud: Thinadhoo Population Charges Driven by Opponents of City’s Progress
5 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ހޯމަ 09:16The trial of Thinadhoo City Mayor Saud Ali has commenced following charges that he submitted fraudulent population data to state authorities to secure city status for the island. The Mayor faces two counts, including the intentional submission of forged documents and providing false information to a government agency, offenses that carry a significant prison sentence if he is convicted.
The scene as they exited the court after attending the hearing for this case. | Raajje MV
The Mayor of Thinadhoo City, Saud Ali, has claimed that the criminal charges alleging the submission of falsified population data to state authorities to secure city status for GDh. Thinadhoo were orchestrated by individuals opposed to the island's progress.
He made these remarks during an interview following his court appearance for the hearing of this case. Saud stated that the case was filed out of malice and was orchestrated by individuals who oppose the progress and development of Thinadhoo.
Saud stated that the residents of Thinadhoo are also clearly witnessing the unfolding of these events.
Thinadhoo City Mayor Saud Ali provides an interview to RaajjeTV outside the Criminal Court.
On Monday, the court served the relevant case documents to Mayor Saud.
In this case, Saud has been charged with knowingly providing a fraudulent document and providing false information to an official government agency.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has stated that Saud is being charged with knowingly providing false documentation for attempting to misrepresent Thinadhoo as having the 10,000-resident population required to achieve city status. According to the PG Office, the population list he signed and submitted to the Local Government Authority (LGA) included details of deceased individuals and other unverified information.
Furthermore, the Prosecutor General’s Office stated that the investigation revealed discrepancies in a second list submitted under Saud’s signature. This occurred after the Local Government Authority (LGA) requested a verified list including national identity card numbers; however, the submitted document reportedly contained repeated names and information of individuals registered to other islands.
The lawsuit alleges that the list contained inaccurate information, falsely stating that the population of Thinadhoo is 10,150.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has stated that if found guilty, the individual faces a standard sentence of one year, seven months, and six days in prison.
The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that the second charge brought against Saud—providing false information to an official agency—stems from allegations that he misled the police during the investigation of this case.
The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that during the police investigation into the matter, Saud signed and sent a fax message claiming there was no record of the council ever submitting population lists to state authorities in its bid to seek city status, despite a formal request for those documents.
The standard penalty for this charge is a prison sentence of four months and 24 days.
