Parliament’s committee on independent institutions has, on Tuesday, passed to remove members from two institutions.
All members in attendance at the meeting voted in favor of the removal of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) President Hassan Luthufee and former Vice President of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom) Ismail Sofwan.
Their decisions will be forwarded to the parliament floor, and the 87-member house will take a final vote in the matter.
HASSAN LUTHUFEE
Velidhoo constituency MP Mohamed Shafeeq proposed to remove Luthufee at Tuesday’s committee meeting, which was endorsed by South-Thinadhoo constituency MP Abdulla Saneef.
Members of the Anti-Corruption Commission were summoned to the committee last week, but the president was not in attendance.
At the meeting, Commission members said that Luthufee has been absent from work from February 10 and that they have not been able to contact him since.
However, they said that he “has been taking full pay.”
The ACC chief is also under investigation for money laundering, he was allegedly involved in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations (MMPRC) embezzlement scandal.
ISMAIL SOFWAN
The committee members unanimously voted to remove Broadcom’s Sofwan as well.
The motion was proposed by South-Galolhu constituency MP Mickail Naseem, and was seconded by Bilehdhoo constituency MP Ahmed Haleem.
The decision to remove Sofwan was reached after studying his attendance report, which was provided by Broadcom after being summoned to the committee on June 19. He has been out of work for over seven months, but taking full salary.
While he has reportedly been in Malaysia since September’s presidential election, he was removed from his post as vice president on June 13. Commisson member Fathimath Zaina has since been appointed as VP.
In addition, a motion to remove all members of the broadcasting commission was also submitted to the committee on Tuesday, by Gan constituency MP Mohamed Wisam.
A four-member sub committee was formed to further examine the case. They are Velidhoo constituency MP Shafeeq, Gan constituency MP Wisam, South-Thinadhoo constituency MP Saneef and Villimalé constituency MP Ahmed Usham.
