Former head of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Abdullah Ziyaath says the MVR 239 million received from the lease of six islands and two lagoons were handed over to then Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor.
The state had raised graft charges against Ziyath for the lease of 30 islands through MMPRC.
On Tuesday, Criminal Court had attempted to hold preliminary hearings for 15 of the 30 cases. However, only eight cases were head on Tuesday.
The charges raised against Ziyaath say that he had accepted the cheques made out for the acquisition cost of the said islands. The cheques were not deposited to MMPRC accounts.
Responding to the charges, Ahmed Yameen said Ziyaath had acted as instructed and handed over the cheques to Adeeb. The lawyer said there was no intent of graft on part of Ziyaath when he handed over the chequest to Adeeb.
The prosecution maintained that Ziyaath had grafted the state of nine cheques amounting to US$ 12.9 million and two cheques amounting to MVR 40.8 million.
Judge Ali Adam had decreed on Tuesday the case can be carried out as a civil one and had given both defense and prosecution one month for pre-trial motions. The pre-trial motions have to be submitted by December 14th.
A hearing was held on the 11th of this month as well. The state had read 15 charges on Ziyaath. As per the charges, Ziyaath had grafted US$ 23.1 million for the lease of 13 islands and two lagoons.
