The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has decided to issue a warning to members of Dhuvaafaru Island Council based on their commitment to refrain from committing any future offences.
ACC has stated that 12 individuals were involved in a corruption case identified by a special monitoring report of the Dhuvaafaru Island Council prepared by the Local Government Authority (LGA). After the duty prosecution, ACC requested the PGO to prosecute eight individuals. ACC stated all of them have been charged under Section 513 of the Penal Code, abuse of official position for illegal gain, embezzlement of state property and money under Section 516 of the same Act, and acting otherwise in a matter for public benefit under Section 517 of the same Act.
The PGO investigated seven individuals in the case, and decided to issue them a warning instead of pursuing further legal action, after their signed an agreement to refrain from committing any future offences. The PGO also took into consideration the length of time they have served the state, their criminal records, the circumstances of the case, and the degree of their involvement in the crime. The agreement states that criminal charges will be filed if they violate the terms.
LGA released a report on the corruption in Dhuvaafaru, highlighting the irregular financial transactions within the council. The report published showed multiple incidents of the council mismanaging its finances, including corruption related to the handling of Zakat payments, handing over projects without bids in order to benefit council employees, and conducting business dealings without filing the necessary documentation. As such, the council was found to have transferred funds to the council director, the council president, and its members, as well as the women’s development committee (WDC) and contract employees without clear indications as to the purpose of the transfer. LGA has found that the council has transferred huge sums of money.