Probe against BML deputy CEO ongoing: police

Maldives Police Service (MPS) has confirmed that it is investigating a case against the Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the Bank of Maldives (BML) Mohamed Shareef, over allegations of providing false information to parliament.

However, police refused to disclose any other details in the matter, adding that it “will be shared when possible.”

Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed had, on July 23, announced the decision to proceed with a probe against Shareef.

During questioning at the parliament’s public accounts committee, Shareef denied that BML had sent a non-negotiable cheque to SoF; the company involved in the state embezzlement. However, after the committee meeting, evidence showing that BML had sent non-negotiable cheques to SoF were leaked on social media.

While the parliament had initially decided to seek a criminal investigation against the BML official over the matter, it retracted the decision following a letter from Shareef.

In this letter, Shareef is to have claimed that he found out about the cheques via social media after the committee meeting and requested another opportunity to provide information to the committee.

However, at Wednesday’s sitting Speaker Nasheed said that they had discovered “new evidence” which confirms that the BML official had misled the parliament.

As per Article 99 of the Constitution, “the People’s Majlis or any of its committees has the power to (a) summon any person to appear before it to give evidence under oath, or to produce documents. Any person who is questioned by the People’s Majlis as provided under this Article shall answer to the best of his knowledge and ability; (b) require any person or institution to report it; (c) receive petitions, representations or submissions from interested persons or institutions.”

BML officials were summoned to the public accounts committee regarding the over MVR 1.4 billion stolen from the state coffers through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and a private company called SoF during the previous administration.

The bank denied any involvement in the matter, saying that it “has never and will never support financial irregularities of any form,” adding that it condemns implications that its staff were involved in the matter.

Continuing to put the blame on Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), BML said that its responsibility “is to report suspicious transactions to FIU [Financial Intelligence Unit] for their further investigation and actions” under the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act.

It added that these suspicious transaction reports were forwarded to the FIU on November 27, 2014.