Shazail graciously accepts suspension until investigations conclude

Managing Director at Maldive Gas, Shazail Shiyam has accepted his suspension following the drawn-out corruption allegations pinned against him.

Having refuted all the allegations made against him, Shiyam posted a Facebook post shortly after his suspension, which translates that he “respectfully accepts” and welcomes the decision to suspend him until investigations into complaints against him submitted to the “Zero Tolerance to Corruption” Portal established by the President’s Office, conclude.

Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Ibrahim Hoodh revealed that Shazail’s suspension remain until the end of the investigation into said complaints, which is deemed to be accurate.

While he was suspended on 16 October, he is accused of abusing his position at the company for his own benefit, among several others.

Parliament’s Committee on State Owned Enterprises (SOE) passed to set Maldive Gas’s procurement procedure under “direct purchase”, after the company came under fire for violating procedure when purchasing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), in early October.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also launched investigations into the company for violating its procurement procedure in August, after receiving a case of Maldive Gas buying products abroad, with inflated prices.

However, Shiyam had denied violating procedure and assured that since its inception, the company has followed the procurement policy to seek suppliers and that it has not violated the code of practice within the past eight months.

Shiyam was appointed as MD of Maldive Gas through a Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) slot in January and previously served as a Deputy Fisheries Minister and Deputy Tourism Minister during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen.