Former Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Abdulla Ziyath has been transferred to house arrest on Saturday evening.

Ahmed Luqman, Media officer at the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) revealed that the former MD of MMPRC, implicated in the country’s biggest embezzlement scandal, was transferred to house arrest, however, he did not disclose a reason as to why he was transferred.

His house transfer comes two days after he was transferred to the unit holding imprisoned former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.

A total of 30 charges was raised against Ziyath, including the case forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s office regarding 30 out of the 55 islands. All 30 charges were of deceit.

His case is the first in recent history, that includes so many charges against one person.

Ziyath was sentenced to eight years in prison along with ex-VP Adeeb and businessman Hamid Ismail over his involvement in the embezzlement of MVR 77 million from MMPRC.

He was found guilty of embezzling USD five million paid to MMPRC as acquisition cost for Lh. Maabinhuraa island, to be developed as a resort by Kurendhoo Holdings.

Ziyath was arrested in 2015, his prison conviction has been upheld by the High Court since.