Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has stated it is difficult to provide a specific date of completion for the investigation of the corruption scandal of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
Speaking at the Parliamentary Committee on Independent Institutions, ACC President Mariyam Shiuna said the MMPRC investigation is conducted jointly with Maldives Police Service (MPS) and some state institutions. Shiuna said the investigation involves a large number of people, noting 30 different people are currently under investigation. Therefore, she said it is very difficult to give a completion date for the investigation.
During a press conference held in July, the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery revealed 37 islands and 12 lagoons had been fraudulently leased through MMPRC for resort development between 2014 and 2015. The commission said the total price of the islands alone amount to USD 210 million, while the total amount embezzled would rise to at least USD 260 million if the lagoons are priced.
Meanwhile, the initial investigation report of ACC identified 267 beneficiaries of the scandal, including 44 ex-parliamentarians, 16 sitting parliamentarians, 7 judges, 7 senior officials of the current government, 5 senior officials of independent institutions and 23 officers from security forces.