Yameen scared state may seize his ‘stolen funds’, says PNC’s top lawmaker

Former Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is scared that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu will soon have the power to appoint the heads of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) because the state may seize his “stolen funds”, says Ibrahim Falah, the leader of the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s parliamentary group.

The government has submitted two bills to empower the president to appoint presidents and vice presidents to both the ACC and the Elections Commission (EC).

Opposition politicians, including Yameen, have criticized the move.

Speaking during the preliminary debate on Tuesday on the amendment to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Falah, who represents the Inguraidhoo constituency, said that ACC is an important commission, but has been ineffective in curbing major acts of corruption over the years.

He also blamed the country’s current economic crisis on major acts of corruption and theft of public funds by former Maldivian leaders.

Falah also accused Maldivian leaders of taking kickbacks and inflating the value of state projects.

“Honorable Speaker, when the head of state puts ten in his own pocket and ten in a project that would actually cost MVR 10,000, then the cost of the project rises to 20 [MVR 20,000]. This is clear for all to see. Especially in the case of President Yameen. He has taken millions of Rufiyaa in public funds and is holding rallies every night with six people and by paying these six people monthly,” he said.

This is not the first time that Falah has accused Yameen of corruption. During a parliamentary debate earlier this month, Falah alleged that “the theft of public funds” by Yameen amounts to a staggering USD 500 million.

During Tuesday’s debate, Falah alleged that Yameen has large sums of stolen funds stored in local and offshore banks, as well as his own home.

Falah said that Yameen isn’t “scared” because the president may get the authority to appoint the president and vice president of the ACC, but because “the qualified individuals appointed to the commission may collect boxes and boxes of money and recover it to the state.”

“He has it in banks in the country and overseas and also in his home. In his home, he has it hidden in two places. Part of it is in the wife’s room. And the other part is in the husband’s room. He has two boxes. He is concerned because the commissions may find these,” he said.

Falah added that there is no room to accuse the incumbent PNC administration of corruption.

The remarks come after Yameen heavily criticized the government bills during a People’s National Front (PNF) rally the previous night.

He described it as an attempt to influence the ACC and undermine its legal authority.

President and vice presidents of ACC and EC are currently elected with an internal vote taken among members of the respective commissions. And the results of the vote need to be submitted to the president and the Parliament within 28 hours. But with the legislative changes, presidents and vice presidents of the two commissions will be nominated by the country’s president. The nominations will be vetted by the Parliament and will require parliamentary approval. Resignations of presidents and vice presidents of the commissions will also need to be submitted to the country’s president.