Work of asset recovery commission ongoing: gov’t spokesperson

The government has reassured that the Presidential Commission on Corruption and State Asset Recovery’s work is ongoing.

The commission was established on 17 November 2018 to investigate instances of corruption that resulted in the loss of state assets from 1st January 2012 till 17th November 2018.

Speaking at a press conference held by the President's Office on Wednesday, Spokesperson Mabrook Azeez said that one of the key pledges of the incumbent administration had been to fight against corruption, and that this was the specific purpose of establishing the asset recovery commission in the first place.

The spokesperson went on to assure that work of the commission was ongoing to investigate instances of corruption and grand corruption that resulted in losses to the state, such as the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal. Mabrook added that details would be forthcoming for the outcomes as investigations progressed.

He added that the MMPRC grand corruption had been conducted in association by several top-level leaders of the government at the time, and that many efforts had been made to cover their tracks and maintain impunity, which are believed to be staunching investigation efforts by the asset recovery commission.

Spokesperson Mabrook went on to reassure firmly that the Solih administration would not hesitate to take action against any instance of corruption, no matter who or what groups were involved. He affirmed that the administration's stance on corruption remained unchanged, and that work would continue on behalf of the government to achieve that effect.

In the preliminary report submitted by the asset recovery commission to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in July last year, detailing progress on the Commission's investigation of the MMPRC grand corruption case. The President of the Commission, Ahmed As'ad revealed that 37 islands and 12 lagoons were fraudulently leased for tourism purposes, resulting in a massive financial loss to the State. He stated that the Commission is active pursuing 30 separate cases in relation to the MMPRC corruption scandal, in addition to investigating the island of Fushi Dhiggaru and the construction of Dharumavantha Hospital.

Former Vice-President Abdulla Jihad was charged by the Criminal Court in relation to the island of Fushi Dhiggaru of Kaafu atoll being developed as a special tourist zone. While the trial against him is still ongoing, the High Court repealed an order last month which prevented Jihad from leaving the country after identifying him as a flight-risk.