MMPRC investigation concluded, to be sent for prosecution: ACC
ACC previously stated report will be released in April
Premises of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has stated that their investigation into the massive graft of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
Speaking to RaajjeMV, ACC Vice President Muawwiz Rasheed said that the case was in the process of sending for prosecution.
He said the agency had begun discussions with the PG office lawyers prior to sending in the findings for prosecution. Muawwiz said that this was standard procedure on every case and that this was done to brief the lawyers on the cases.
When questioned over the release date of the MMPRC report, Muawwiz noted the report will be published to media after dispatching it to the relevant state bodies. However, he refrained from giving an exact date.
ACC President Hassan Luthfee on March 9th declared the report will be issued in April. Back in 2015, he said the report will be released “soon”.
The audit report issued by the Auditor General had revealed that MVR 1.22 billion of state funds was embezzled through the state owned corporation.
As such, US$ 65.01 million (MVR 1 billion) was deposited to private accounts, US$ 6.31 million (MVR 97.3 million) as dollar transactions, US$ 6.15 million (MVR 94.8 million) released as loans to private companies and an additional US$ 1.90 million (MVR 29 million) released to private companies on undisclosed reasons all had been grafted from the corporation.
The MMPRC Audit Report, 59 areas had been leased from MMPRC for development as tourist hotels, yatch marinas and other projects. This included 53 areas released under agreement with Tourism Ministry and MMPRC, while the rest six were released without an agreement with Tourism Ministry.
This translates to US$ 98.86 million (MVR 1.5 billion) as acquisition costs, out of which only US$ 76.91 million (MVR 1.22 billion) had been recorded as received by the Corporation.
US$ 65.01 million had been deposited to private accounts from the Corporation, while only US$ 12.50 million had been deposited to MMPRC accounts. The report shows that an additional US$ 300,000 had been received from Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
The report further notes that US$ 1.8 million worth of cheques was accepted, but not deposited to any accounts.
Opposition political figures and civil society bodies have condemned the delays in publishing the report on the biggest graft in the nation’s history. However, ACC said the delays were caused following the Al-Jazeera expose “Stealing Paradise”, which had brought forward more areas to investigate. In spite of this assertion, opposition members allege that the delays were caused by political pressures. Raajje.mv understands that months have lapsed since the report had been fully investigated and sent to Commission members.
