President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has revealed that the government has prepared to recover the state funds lost in the corruption scandal involving the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
Speaking at a press conference, President Solih provided the latest information on the MMPRC corruption case and said that concluding it is one of his most important pledges. He said that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is steadfastly working on the case and that he expects positive results within the next six months.
Furthermore, President Solih said that MMPRC has been instructed to submit civil cases against 11 private companies and individuals on behalf of the AGO. He also highlighted that the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has submitted 14 court cases and that five parties have been found guilty on 43 charges. He said that court cases involving two companies and seven individuals are ongoing and that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating 53 cases related to the MMPRC case. He added that the ACC is holding discussions on 10 of the cases prior to submitting them for prosecution, while four have been approved for prosecution and five cases are being re-reviewed.
The investigation of the MMPRC scandal involves the largest embezzlement of state funds in the history of the Maldives, with investigations suggesting that the total amount embezzled is over USD220 million. The Parliament of the Maldives publicised a list of 281 beneficiaries of the corruption scandal, including 119 state officials, and 16 parliamentarians.
Former President Abdulla Yameen, former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, and former Managing Director of MMPRC Abdulla Ziyath were convicted over their involvement in the scandal.