ACC concludes inquiry into Hoarafushi MP’s admission to distributing 'corrupt' money
The MP had previously admitted to 'carrying a sack of money' to opposition parliamentarians
Hoarafushi constituency MP Mohamed Ismail
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has concluded the investigation into Hoarafushi constituency MP Mohamed Ismail, who had admitted to distributing corrupt money to other parliamentarians.
The investigation was carried out under ACC’s inquiry into the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Company (MMPRC), the largest corruption scandal in Maldives’ history.
RaajjeMV understands that the Anti-Corruption Commission has concluded the investigation.
ACC’s media official said that details of its inquiry will be publicized along with the report on the MMPRC embezzlement case, but did not disclose on when the report will be published.
ACC continues to say that the report will be publicized ‘very soon’.
During a debate on a parliamentary inquiry into the theft of some USD 80 million from tourism leases in March 2016, the Hoarafushi representative had said that he had ‘carried a sack of money’ to parliamentarians of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). He said that he had ‘carried and distributed the money,’ alleging that the MDP representatives had no issues with taking the money.
In addition to admitting to distributing the money in parliament, MP Ismail had also tweeted about doing so.
A member of the public had filed the case at the Maldives Police Service (MPS), asking to investigate Ismail’s claims noting that it hinted that he had bribed parliamentarians. However, MPS rejected the case, saying that the matter was being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
While the police refused to investigate the matter, Jumhooree Party’s leader and Maamigilli constituency MP Qasim Ibrahim was found guilty of bribery charges and sentenced to three years, two months and 12 days in jail, in August this year.
In addition, Dhiggaru constituency MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon was arrested over bribery allegations in July, and has been ordered to be kept in remand until the investigation and trial into the charges conclude.
