Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem has stated a decision will be made on pressing charges in the ventilator case within this week.
On October 14 last year, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) forwarded charges against 11 officials of the Ministry of Health, including then-Minister Abdulla Ameen, over the irregularities in awarding the contract to Dubai-based Executors Generals Trading to procure 75 ventilators to the Maldives. However, the PG Office declined the case upon review, and decided not to press any charges, citing the inadequate investigation conducted by ACC. The case was placed under review again upon recommendation by the Parliamentary Committee on Judiciary to seek further information on the case from relevant investigative authorities including ACC and Maldives Police Service (MPS).
Speaking to PSM News, PG Hussain Shameem said the charges were re-submitted by ACC upon further investigation. Shameem said the new charges include several new information which was missing in the earlier charges which were declined. He said a decision will be made this week on pressing the charges in court.
Irregularities in awarding contracts for ventilator procurement were first identified in the COVID-19 compliance audit conducted on the health ministry by the Auditor General’s Office. The audit report revealed Executors General Trading was paid 90% of the quoted price in advance to procure 75 ventilators in April last year, of which only 10 have been procured so far. The audit report also revealed the company was selected without assessing its financial and technical capabilities, in addition to not obtaining advance payment and performance guarantees.