Committee consists of members being probed in the MMPRC corruption scandal: PG

Some members of the parliament’s pubic accounts committee are being investigated in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations (MMPRC) corruption scandal, says Prosecutor General Aishath Bisham.

The PG made the claim during a meeting with the committee members on Monday, but did not disclose their details.

However, she added that the members “will know who they are.”

She then requested to hold the meeting behind closed doors, citing possible obstructions to the investigation, which all members present, later agreed to.

When the PG first requested for the meeting to be held in secret, committee chair and Kinbidhoo constituency MP Mohamed Nashiz decided to go ahead with the information that can be shared in public, and added that an additional meeting will be held if there is a need.

As soon as Bisham revealed that there are members being investigated in the graft case in the public accounts’ committee, Thimarafushi constituency MP Abdulla Riyaz proposed to change the meeting to a closed door one, as requested initially.

Riyaz made the proposal saying that the committee should be held in secret “if the PG is saying that there could be obstructions to the investigation.”

However, the committee passed a counter proposal made by Dhaandhoo constituency MP Yaugoob Abdulla. He proposed to inquire on the PG’s claim and move ahead with the committee meeting without the members who are being probed in the corruption scandal, in addition to holding the meeting in secret.

Kudahuvadhoo constituency MP Ahmed Amir endorsed Yaugoob’s proposal.

Officials from the PG Office were summoned to the Monday’s public accounts’ committee meeting as it continues to analyze the special audit of the biggest corruption scandal in the country’s history, where MVR1.4 billion (US$90 million) was funnelled from the state coffers into private accounts involving senior government officials.