Ministry of Home Affair’s audit report for 2018 has uncovered corruption in the ‘Minivan 50’ Independence Day celebrations that year.

Grand celebrations were held to mark 50 years of independence from the British, in 2018.

The audit report states that the home ministry had opened bid for services such as sound and lighting setup.

However, the ministry is to have annulled this and contracted the work to a company for MVR 4,060,012.

The Public Finance Act requires bids to be conducted, if a project requiring services exceeds MVR 35,000.

Citing then ministry officials, the audit report notes that this was done to strengthen then-President Abdulla Yameen’s security measures due to the situation in the country. Noting that equipment used at events attended by the president is handled by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), the officials are to have said that MNDF had requested via a letter to contract a company approved by it given it did not have the required equipment.

However, the report noted that there are no documents to confirm that MNDF had approved the company after reviewing its capabilities.

Further, the audit states that the service was awarded to the company at a higher price.

While corruption allegations over the Minivan50 celebrations emerged back in 2018, then-Home Minister Umar Naseer had denied any wrongdoing.

A previous report issued by the Audit Office noted over MVR 70 million was spent on Minivan50 celebrations, against the Public Finance Act and in violation of the permit issued by the Finance Ministry.