The Attorney General (AG)’s office has announced its decision to pursue charges against a company owned jointly by State Minister at the Communications Ministry, Ahmed Afzal and Secretary General at the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), Abdul Aleem Adam.

Charges against Freenet Private Limited come after the company failed to comply to an agreement signed with the government to develop a case management system software. While Freenet failed to complete the project within the given time period, the AG office is seeking MVR 830,000 as compensation for damages.

The AG office revealed via a statement on Wednesday, that deliberations on the project began in May 2017, with the state officials having met with the company officials to discuss a proposal, that was received a month later during June 2017.

Following this, a request was made at the Ministry of Tourism to arrange payments to the company for it to commence work, during August 2017. While the payment was completed in a single instalment by the Maldives Integrated Tourism Development Corporation (MITDC), Freenet was contracted to complete the project within four months.

However, following the company’s failure to complete the project within the time period given to it, it was extended to July 2019.

AG office is seeking compensation of MVR 830,000, or USD 53,826.80.

Further, AG office has also sought from the Anti-Corruption Commission to launch a probe into the matter and how it was contracted to the company in the first place.

Freenet was contracted with the project during the previous administration of former president Abdulla Yameen and owner, State Minister Afzal drew criticism and corruption allegations by the public at the time he was appointed to the position, which the State Minister denied then.