Moosa: Transfer from SOF came from Asward

The USD 100,000 transfer from SOF Private Limited – the company in the middle of the MMPRC embezzlement and money laundering scam – to the bank account of Hulhu-Henveyru MP Reeko Moosa Manik came from Ibrahim Waheed (Asward) – Managing Director of SanguTV, says the lawmaker.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in its investigative report on the MMPRC case, identifies the names of the owners of the 155 bank accounts to which SOF Private Limited transferred money to; including Moosa.

In a letter to the President of ACC, Hassan Luthufy, Moosa wrote that he had been working as a businessman since 1989 and often traded in sale and purchase of foreign currency.

He wrote that he never engaged in any business dealings with SOF Private Limited, and was never questioned by ACC regarding the USD 100,000 transfer.

Moosa said the decision by ACC to publish a report without any prior questioning and use his name in such a misrepresentational manner infringed on multiple constitutional rights and was having an adverse effect on both his personal as well as business life.

Moosa explained that Asward and Velidhoo MP Yameen Rasheed, in February 2015, approached him with the request to facilitate funds from Singapore for purchase of equipment they needed to start a television station (Sangu TV).

Moosa said he shared his Bank of Maldives (BML) account number with both Yameen and Asward.

“With the understanding that if they deposit the money to my account, I will withdraw the same amount of money from Singapore, Asward transferred USD 100,000 to my account on March 8, 2015,” wrote Moosa.

He said that because Asward had transferred the money via internet banking, he had assumed the money came from Asward’s personal bank account.

“And I, from by HSBC bank account in Singapore, issued four checks [bank check numbers] and handed it to Ibrahim Waheed (Asward) on March 8, 2015. The transaction was an effort to lend assistance to two friends who were unable to send the money to Singapore on such short notice,” wrote Moosa.

 Moosa said the inclusion of his name the scandal was the biggest embarrassment he had suffered during his 15-year career as a statesman.

He said that he had never been summoned by any investigative authority for questioning regarding any case, and called for ACC to conduct its work more responsibly.

Other lawmakers identified in ACC’s investigative report are; Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed, Guraidhoo MP Hussain Manik Dhonmanik, and then-South Galolhu MP and current Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Ahmed Mahloof.