Committee on National Security to pursue investigation of alleged 800 million dollar corruption case

Committee on National Security at the People’s Majlis has decided to pursue the investigation of an alleged corruption case of 800 million US Dollar worth illegal trading in oil conducted by former President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom and his brother and cabinet member Abdullah Yamin.

The Committee on National Security decided to order some 12 different institutions to produce documentation containing records related to the transactions. The decision was taken unanimously, by votes of 7 members present and voting in the meeting held today. Hence, the President’s Office, the Presidential Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Attorney General’s Office, State Trading Organization, and the Maldives Monetary Authority would be, among others, asked to submit relevant documents on the alleged case of corruption.

In today’s meeting of the Standing Committee on National Security, Moosa “Reeko” Manik, MP for Hulhuhenveyru Constituency, Interim Chairman of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and an outspoken opponent of former President Maumoon and his government, proposed to confiscate passports of Maumoon and Yamin. He said that “there is suspicion that the two would go into hiding as soon as the investigations begin”. However, Legal Department of the Majlis advised to the Committee that they had no mandate to confiscate passports of individuals.

The meeting held today was chaired by Ali Waheed, MP for Thoddu Constituency, who had recently ditched his former party, Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), and joined the ruling MDP, allegedly for a huge undisclosed bribe.

MDP member Mohamed “Thimarafush” Mustafa proposed a resolution to the People’s Majlis which, if passed, would oblige the government to investigate alleged corruption of Maumoon and Yamin. The resolution has been sent to the Committee on National Security for further considerations before it is floored. Ruling MDP holds majority in the Committee.