Yameen defends MVR 100 mil, criticizes police for 'misusing' financial statement

While Maldives Police Service (MPS) has announced that over MVR 100 million in former President Abdulla Yameen’s accounts have been frozen, he has declared that the money is “legitimate.”

Speaking at a Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) event on Monday, where the party announced decision to give tickets to 13 additional individuals for next year’s parliamentary elections, Yameen said that he takes “responsibility” for the money in his accounts.

He added that the money “does not belong to the state, nor anyone else,” highlighting that having “assets in one's bank accounts are not grounds for corruption allegations”.

The former president further expressed disappointment in the police, accusing the institution of “misusing” his financial statement- submitted on the last day of his tenure despite Article 120 of the Constitution stating that he must submit the statements “every year.”

“The asset’s in one’s bank account is private information,” added Yameen, further noting that he is the same man that once had USD 800 million in his account.

The former president has faced multiple corruption allegations throughout his five-year tenure, including receiving millions of dollars through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the company implicated in the biggest embezzlement case in the Maldives’ history.

The Anti-Corruption Commission had, back in November 2017, confirmed that USD 1 million was transferred to Yameen’s private account through MMPRC.

A money laundering case was filed against Yameen in mid-September, by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) at the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

He was summoned for questioning over the allegation, with the police saying that it “is investigating reports forwarded by state institutions that allege former president Abdulla Yameen conducted illicit financial transactions while he was president.”

After questioning Yameen, police confirmed the freezing of the bank accounts linked to former president.