Villa Group founder Qasim Ibrahim has responded back to allegations made by Minister at President's Office Aishath Azima Shakoor.

Speaking to Public Service Media (PSM), Azima said that Villa Group owed the state MVR 2.9 billion, adding that the state will take action on any individual or entity that owed money to the state. 

Responding to the claims, Qasim tweeted that Azima's statements were a fabrication. His tweet, written in Dhivehi, noted that Azima was the lawyer for Villa Group, when the said cases were on trial both in lower courts, High Court and Supreme Court. One of the cases, he said, was decided in Villa's favor; a fact which Azima will be very clear on. 

The verdict, Qasim added, had ordered the state to pay several million Rufiyaa to Villa. As the lawyer for the Group in those cases then, Qasim added that Azima would be thorough on the case and circumstances. Given the situation, he said it was deeply saddening that Azima had deliberately misconstrued facts.

While Azima had quoted MVR 2.9 billion as the total amount owed by Villa to the state, Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) had quoted MVR 78.6 million and Ministry of Finance had quoted MVR 369.5 million.