Villa case sent to trial, having failed out of court settlement

Having failed the dispute resolution stage, the case where the Government froze all bank accounts of Villa Group, has been forwarded to trial.

All the accounts of Villa Group had been frozen by Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), stating the Group had failed to pay fees and penalties in connection to Elaa. The letter stated the Group had to pay US$ 18.6 million, as principal and interest for the rent and penalties for the lease.

MIRA had instructed the company back in 2015 to pay US$ 100 million (MVR 1.5 billion) over delayed payments of five islands leased to the Group. Elaa is one island in the five islands.

At the time of the penalties and revoking Kaadehdhoo Airport, Qasim was allied with the opposition; he had shifted sides soon afterwards, after which the Government gave back some of the islands and Kaadehdhoo Airport.

The case was first filed in Civil Court on March 26. The dispute resolution was carried out on March 30th. However, the case was forwarded to trial, when the dispute resolution phase had failed.

Villa Group had filed case in Civil Court, asking to declare that the Group did not have to pay any amount in connection to the case and a stay order until the Court arrived at a decision on the case.

Villa Group founder and Maamigilee Constituency MP Qasim Ibrahim had allied with the opposition and taken an active role in the no confidence motion against Parliament Speaker Abdullah Maseeh, taken on March 27th. The accounts were frozen ahead of the vote, with the opposition claiming this was done to intimidate the Parliamentarian.