Corruption cases linked to all state institutions submitted to portal: president

Corruption cases linked to all state institutions are among the cases submitted at the Anti-Corruption Portal, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

In his address at the ‘Transparency and Anti-Corruption Conference 2020’ held in commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday, the president stated that the extent of corruption within the system is evident through the number of cases submitted to the portal, which was established on February 12 last year.

Solih stressed that there are cases linked to all state institutions among all 1,081 corruption cases submitted to the portal by November 2019, this includes government institutions, companies, councils, independent institutions, legal sectors, Maldives Police Service (MPS), Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) as well as the People’s Majlis.

Highlighting that cases that can be taken up by investigative institutions are being submitted for investigation, the president noted that 209 such cases were forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) by November, out of which 51 have been accepted by the commission.

Further, Solih noted that a number of elements contributing to corrupt practices are currently within the system, one of which is the procurement mechanism and the protocols being followed in acquiring goods required by the state.

Another such thing is the procurement mechanism in government schemes as well as the protocols being followed in employment as well as services being provided by state institutions.

With this being said, the president stressed on the urgency to change the impression on the public that services, finding employment, or acquiring procurement will require the assistance or influence of an official working at the institution.

At a time the president has noted that there are major cases revolving around corruption that have been overlooked in the country, he also reiterated his administration’s priority on empowering whistleblowers to come forth and report cases of corruption.

In addition, Solih noted that the government highly prioritizes the protection of whistleblowers and that the aim of the Whistleblower Protection Act enacted in October 2019 is to ensure that those who report on instances of corruption are protected from legal action.

Further noting that impunity for acts of corruption will no longer be tolerated, the president reiterated the government's commitment to eliminating corruption in the country.