HDC dissolves CBO post despite order to reinstate Yameen

Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has dissolved the post of the company’s Chief Business Officer (CBO) despite an Employment Tribunal order to reinstate Ahmed Yameen, who was dismissed in February in the wake of a criminal investigation into allegations of corruption in the award of housing from Hulhumale’, including land and apartments.

Yameen, who served as HDC’s CBO and head of Media Department, was among 15 employees who got fired after documents leaked on social media in December 2024 appeared to show that multiple people were given land from Hulhumale’ under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme despite not being on the list of recipients released in 2023 during the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration.

Following his dismissal, Yameen filed an unlawful termination case with the Employment Tribunal, which he won in August.

HDC’s decision to dissolve the CBO position was revealed in an interim order issued by the High Court on Wednesday, which temporarily halted the enforcement of the Employment Tribunal’s order to reinstate Yameen.

High Court, in a footnote in its interim order, said HDC has dissolved the CBO post, citing the company appeal. The interim order issued by High Court on Wednesday with the unanimous consensus of all judges presiding over the case is aimed at stopping the implementation of the Employment Tribunal order until the appellate court comes delivers its judgement in the case.

Following his dismissal, Yameen filed an unlawful termination case with the Employment Tribunal, which he won in August. The Tribunal ordered HDC to pay him MVR 144,000 in compensation for six months of salary at a rate of MVR 24,000 per month, as well as MVR 20,000 in legal fees.

 HDC subsequently filed an appeal with the High Court on August 31^st.

The land scandal prompted criminal investigations by the police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

However, it remains unclear if and how Yameen is linked to the case.

The police had ordered travel bans on 24 people in connection to the investigation into the corruption case, but lifted the ban in March.