Five police officers have been suspended from duty, over allegations of being complicit in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal.

Police said that the five officers have been identified as having received funds through the MMPRC graft, and that they were suspended following the criminal and administrative investigations against them.

However, police did not reveal when they were suspended.

Investigators have revealed that over 200 individuals had received funds through MMPRC, however, that not all were involved in the corruption carried out through the company.

According to Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, those involved in the graft include prominent members of the country including those in registered political parties.

The MMPRC corruption investigation is being carried out by the Presidential Inquiry Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery. While President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had formed the commission on 17th November 2018, its purpose is to investigate and recuperate losses to the state dated between 1 January 2012 to 17 November 2018.

The MMPRC corruption scandal is the largest corruption case recorded in Maldivian history. According to authorities, over MVR 3.3 billion acquired via the leasing of islands and lagoons for tourism purposes were embezzled through MMPRC, during the previous government.