Mifco MD, two Board Members dismissed following corruption allegations

The Managing Director (MD) and two members of the Board of Directors of Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO) have been dismissed without warning.

MD of Mifco Hassan Shafiu said that he, along with Board Members Ali Saifuddheen and Mohamed Wajeeh, were dismissed last Sunday through letters sent by the President’s Office.

“I am taken by surprise. The letter stated no reason for dismissal; I was thanked for my services. I am trying to find out the reason,” Shafiu said.

Shafiu said that he has received information that they were dismissed in relation to news spread by media that Mifco had accepted bounced cheques in exchange for its products.

He stressed that the products were issued in line with regulations.

“This is something I heard. It’s not true. It’s not me, or Board Members who release products and accept cheques. In relation to that issue, I had advised that procedures must be followed. It is the responsibility of the employees to verify whether cheques are bounced,” he said.

Government Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza said that the three members of the Board of Directors of Mifco were dismissed following collection of sufficient evidence against corruption allegations against them.

He expressed dismay that such an issue has surfaced against members of the government.

“The current government’s policy is to have zero tolerance for corruption. They were dismissed under this policy,” he said.

Shafiu said in his defence that this action against him was ‘motivated by politics’.

The other dismissed members were of similar opinion.

Sun Online understands that the case against them relates to the release of tuna cans to companies that issued bounced cheques in exchange. The three dismissed members have interest in these companies.

The case is currently under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

ACC is also investigating corruption allegations against the MD of Felivaru, Mohamed Imthiyaz.