Auditor General uncovers Youth Ministry corruption

Auditor General’s Report for the Ministry of Youth, for the year 2010, has pointed at corrupt dealings by which a senior official of the Ministry granted more than MVR 100,000 to two organizations in which he had personal interests. One of these organizations was owned and operated by the official, while the other was also had relations with him.

The Report stated that MVR 125,000 was granted to these organizations in the absence of any guidelines to make such grants, and that it was released under orders of a State Minister at the Youth Ministry.

According to the Audit Report, MVR 75,000 was given to one of the organizations, while the other received MVR 50,000.

The Auditor General has advised action under Sections 47 and 48 against those who were responsible for the grants, and also to carry out transactions of granting government aid to parties related to the staff working in a government agency after seeking advice from the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Maldives.

In another case noted by the same Audit Report, the Youth Ministry also gave a financial grant of MVR 153,274 on the 2nd of November 2010 to a music band, in an apparently corrupt deal as well. Audit Report states that there are no records of the band requesting for financial aid, and that the grant was spent from a budget code not suitable for such grants. Auditor General has also advised appropriate legal actions to be taken against those who were responsible for this transaction. The advice included a recommendation to submit the case to the Anti-Corruption Commission to be investigated and prosecuted.

The Report also noted a case in which a Minister took a Member of Parliament abroad to attend the AFC Challenge Cup football final, spending for the costs from the Ministry budget illegally. The Auditor General has advised the money spent, amounting to MVR 15,000, to be taken back, and legal actions to be taken against those who were responsible under the Public Finance Act.

Auditor General’s Reports have repeatedly uncovered serious cases of corruption in various agencies of the government during the presidency of Mahomet Nasheed, the leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party. Some cases are already under investigation, while most have not yet been addressed.