Maldives Police Services (MPS) has summoned and questioned Ministry of Fisheries Marine Resources and Agriculture Zaha Waheed over the corruption scandal of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
MPS told PSM News that several top government officials have been summoned for questioning regarding the scandal which saw the biggest embezzlement of state funds in the history of Maldives. However, MPS did not confirm Minister Zaha was among the officials summoned and questioned.
Speaking at a parliamentary committee, Prosecutor General (PG) Aishath Bisham had said the findings of the probe into the embezzlement scandal and money laundering scam MMPRC implicate several of the current parliament members, ministers and judges. She mentioned Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof, Minister of Communication, Science and Technology Mohamed Maleeh Jamal and Minister Zaha are found to have been implicated.
A total of 267 individuals received financial benefits from the MMPRC scandal, according to investigative authorities. The individuals who have received financial benefits from the scandal include 44 former parliamentarians, 16 current parliamentarians, 5 members at independent institutions, 7 officials currently serving at the government, 7 judges and 23 members from the security forces.
Recently, MPS has also summoned and questioned former Parliamentarian Ghassan Maumoon regarding the scandal.
With the allegation of complicit parliamentarians, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has called on all relevant authorities to reveal the names of those complicit parliamentarians involved in the corruption scandal of MMPRC.
Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery had declared MMPRC scandal costs the state over USD 220 million in losses.