Minister Afzal's financial statement lacking key details, intentional?

Communications, Science and Technology Ministry’s State Minister Ahmed Afzal is under the microscope of the public eye after it was revealed that the financial statements published by him did not include the shares he owned in a private company, a key detail given the company is now under threat of charges by the Attorney General's office.

The case arose from the 80 percent shares owned by the state minister in Freenet Private Limited, a company that the Attorney General’s office decided to bring charges against for incomplete performance of contractual duties. The remaining 20 percent of the company is owned by Maldives Reform Movement’s Secretary-General Abdul Aleem Adam.

The first quarter of 2019 saw the President, cabinet members, state minister’s as well as employees of the President’s Office publish their financial statement for transparency.

Taking a look at the statement of Minister Afzal, it showed that he earned MVR 228,000 in six months as business profits and MVR 120,000 as salary incomes. The section on the financial statement where business interests were to be named was, however, notably missing the stake held by the Minister in Freenet Private Limited.

A fact if overlooked would mean grave negligence on behalf of the Minister, Trade Ministry records show that the Minister was one of the founding shareholders of the company when it was created on August 7, 2014. According to the financial statement, the Minister only owns a Honda Super Cub motorcycle worth MVR 38,000.

The Minister's response, when questioned by “Sun” regarding the failure to mention the company on his financial statement, was a brief “no comment”.

The response by President’s Office spokesperson Ibrahim Hood, when questioned, was that the law allowed State Ministers to have business interests which should be divulged in financial statements. However, Hood also stated that he was not aware of any steps that can be taken for failing to do so.

The Attorney General’s Office is claiming MVR 831,000 from Freenet Private Limited as damages for failure to perform contractual duties. When questioned regarding the case against his company, the Minister replied that he did not wish to talk about the company.