The Civil Court has ordered former Housing Minister Mohamed Aslam to pay back over MVR 300,000 he had taken from the state budget to pay his phone bills.
The order was issued after the court learned that Aslam as minister, had taken funds from the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure’s budget to pay his personal phone bills.
The order, which was issued on the 24th of June by Civil Court Judge Ali Abdulla states that Aslam had as then Minister, withdrawn a whopping total of MVR 312,928 from the state budget from 2009 to 2011.
The court order also states that it is Aslam’s obligation to pay up the amount within five months from the day the verdict finding him guilty is issued. He was found guilty following documents issued by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury proving that he had taken the amount against regulations.
Before taking matters to court, the Finance Ministry had requested Aslam to pay up the amount but he refused, declaring that he does not owe the state anything but was willing to obey a verdict from the court.
