Maldives' president refuses to disclose the last time he submitted financial statement

While the Constitution states that President Abdulla Yameen must submit financial statements to the Auditor General's Office annually, his spokesperson has refused to reveal the last time he did so.

However, Ibrahim Muaz Ali denied a claim by opposition lawmaker Ahmed Mahloof, who said that the President 'has failed to submit the annual statement for the past four years'.

In a tweet posed on Tuesday, the President's spokesperson said that reports saying that the President has not submitted annual financial statements 'are a fabrication' and that the statements have been submitted and accepted by the Auditor General.

In a separate tweet, he added that the Auditor General 'had recently shared changes on how to submit the financial record with the President', adding that it will be submitted accordingly 'soon'.

Article 120 of the Constitution states that 'every year, the President shall submit to the Auditor General a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and all assets and liabilities'.

President Yameen has faced multiple corruption allegations since assuming office in 2013, and his former vice president and right-hand man, Ahmed Adeeb- who is currently on trial for the biggest corruption scandal in the country's history- recently accused the President of handling and counting the millions of dollars that were embezzled through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

The President's Office is yet to comment on Adeeb's accusations against the incumbent President.