Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chief Hassan Luthufee has confirmed that the previous prior government had paid USD 10 million to a forensic accounting firm that was investigating former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s alleged involvement in international illegal oil trade.

At the parliament’s public finance committee meeting on Monday, Luthufee said that Grant Thornton was paid USD 10 million as per the agreement with the Maldives government.

Yameen is alleged to have involved in illegal oil trade with the Burmese military junta worth USD 800 million when he was the head of State Trading Organization (STO) during President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

At the committee meeting, Luthufee said that Grant Thornton’s efforts had failed to recover any of the money.

Luthufee said they have visited Grant Thornton’s offices in Singapore and even have their files but that they have not received an investigative report from the firm. However, President Mohamed Waheed’s administration had paid USD 10 million to Grant Thornton as per the agreement.

RaajjeMV understands that ACC filed away the case regarding Waheed's administration paying USD 10 million to the accounting firm before the election on September 23. However, this has not been confirmed by ACC.

President Waheed’s government paid Grant Thornton USD 10 million to stop its investigation after giving into pressure from Yameen, said Waheed’s advisor Dr. Hassan Saeed during the 2013 presidential election.