Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef has issued a directive to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), urging the agency to accelerate its criminal investigations. The Commission, which is responsible for probing and examining all corruption allegations, recommending further enquiries and prosecutions, conducting research on corruption prevention, and spearheading public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to promote societal integrity, has been instructed to expedite these processes.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, PG Shareef issued this directive in response to rising complaints about the sluggish pace of criminal investigations overseen by the anti-corruption watchdog. The PG Office indicated that the slow progress of these investigations, including those of paramount state interest, impedes the state's efforts to recover funds lost to corruption and embezzlement, ultimately compromising the welfare of the state and its citizens.
PG Shareef's directive is anchored in the authority conferred by Articles 223(f) and (k) of the Constitution. Article 223(f) empowers the PG to initiate investigations deemed necessary into complaints of criminal conduct or other criminal activities that come to his notice. Meanwhile, Article 223(k) authorises the PG to uphold constitutional order, enforce the law, and protect the rights and freedoms of all citizens.
In his directive, PG Shareef called on the ACC to prioritise its criminal investigations into several high-profile cases, including the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) scandal and the alleged embezzlement of state funds during the Covid-19 pandemic. The directive also targets investigations into corruption allegations within state-owned enterprises and the 'Binveriya' and 'Gedhoruviya' social housing schemes, as well as other significant corruption and embezzlement cases that are of public interest.
The order mandates that the ACC begin enforcing the directive without delay. The PG Office highlighted that the directive seeks to ensure the swift handling of the ACC's criminal investigations, the systematic execution of all investigative processes, consistency across criminal investigation agencies, and early advisory input from the PG Office to investigative bodies, ensuring all necessary arrangements are in place.