MMPRC corruption: minister threatens to file defamation lawsuit against PG
PG Bisham, on Monday, revealed that individuals being investigated in the MMPRC case are in the government and parliament
Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal
Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal has threatened to file defamation lawsuit against Prosecutor General (PG) Aishath Bisham.
On Monday, the PG revealed that the current government and parliament consist of individuals being investigated in connection to the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations (MMPRC) corruption scandal.
She made the claim during a meeting with the parliament’s public accounts’ committee. While she had initially asked for the meeting to be held in secret, committee members decided to do so after her claim.
They voted to inquire on the details of these individuals, after making the meeting secret.
In a tweet posted on Tuesday, the communications’ minister said that a journalist present at Monday’s committee meeting had informed him that the PG had mentioned his name at the meeting.
Questioning the reason for mentioning those “not even accused” in the investigation thus far, Maleeh said that he will file a defamation lawsuit against Bisham.
He added that the prosecutor general should not be someone “that turns sides at every whim”.
Earlier on Tuesday, police revealed that some of its officers are being investigated in connection to a case related to the MMPRC scandal.
The MMPRC case is the biggest corruption scandal in the country’s history, where MVR MVR1.4 billion (US$90 million) was funnelled from the state coffers into private accounts involving senior government officials.
