State dredges up FPID, Air Maldives graft cases
FPID graft carried out in 1990
Air Maldives flight
The Commission on State Asset Recovery says the Commission intends to re-examine the graft cases of Fisheries Projects Implementation Department (FPID) and Air Maldives.
The Commission was formed by President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom, to analyze efforts taken by the institutions to recover State assets highlighted in reports published by the Office of the Auditor General and the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Speaking in the press conference held by the Commission, the Commission chair and Home Minister Azleen Ahmed said there were many graft cases over the years in the nation’s history, noting the grafts of FPID and Air Maldives.
Minister Azleen said they were in the process of accumulating information on these cases from relevant institutions. He added they were also in the process of analyzing the said information and a decision on the way forward will be made afterwards.
The cases, he noted, will be processed through the relevant channels including Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Auditor General Office.
The Minister said these two cases involved massive amounts, though he had declined to share the details of the amounts.
Minister Azleen said the Commission had been able to review cases from 1999 onwards. He however, noted there were graft cases older than that which are being investigated.
FPID graft first surfaced in 1990. Former First Lady Naseeran Ibrahim’s brother Ilyas Ibrahim and former spouse to Mahchangolhi South MP Mariya Didi, Abdul Sattar Ali were suspected in the case. Ilyas was the head of STO; the program was run under STO then.
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and senior Government figures were suspected in the Air Maldives graft. The airline began in 1974 under the administration of former President Ibrahim Nasir. It was the first national airline, which closed down in 2000.
At the time of closure, the company had losses of US$ 69.2 million which is around a billion in local currency. The airline had carried out flights to European, Asian and Middle Eastern destinations.
