Fayyaz asks for formal probe into corruption allegations against him by gov minister

Fayyaz Ismail, the chairperson of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) submitted letters to both the police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday, asking the authorities to investigate allegations of corruption against him in a project awarded to an Indian contractor to build dozens of police stations across the Maldives.

The project to build 61 police stations across the Maldives was announced by the MDP administration in 2019. Ashoka Buildcon and Indira Projects and Development entered into a joint venture to form ABL Indira Projects JV LLP to execute the project. In 2021, Maldives Police Service and Indira Projects signed a contract for the project. According to the terms of the agreement, 85 percent of the project funding would come from the Exim Bank of India, and the remaining 15 percent would be sourced from the Maldivian government.

Indira Projects was paid USD 3.6 million as an advance. However, physical works on the project never commenced.

Fayyaz, who was serving as the economic minister when the project was awarded, has been repeatedly accused of corruption in the case by top government officials.

On Monday, Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan told the Parliament that Indira Projects never commenced work on the police station project. He said that the only work the company is doing in the Maldives is the reconstruction of Moonimaage – a home in Male’ - after buying shares from the Business Image Group (BIG) – a company run by Fayyaz’s family.

In a post on X on Tuesday afternoon, Fayyaz said that Ihusan has repeatedly provided false information regarding the project on various platforms, while he himself has provided his response to the allegations on multiple occasions.

He shared photos of letters he sent to the both the police and the ACC asking for an investigation into the claims.

މިނިސްޓަރު އިހުސާން ވަނީ ‘ކުރީސަރުކާރުން’ ޕޮލިސް ޔުނިޓުތަކެއް އެޅުމާގުޅޭ ޕްރޮޖެކްޓަކާއި ގުޅިގެން އެކި ޕްލެޓްފޯމްތަކުގައި ދޮގު މައުލޫމާތު ދެއްވާފައި. އަޅުގަނޑުގެ ފަރާތުން މިކަމުގައި ދޭން ޖެހޭ ޖަވާބުތައް އެކި ޕްލެޓްފޯމްތަކުގައި ދެވިއްޖެ. ތަހުގީގީ އިދާރާތަކުގެ ބެލެނިވެރި ވަޒީރަކަށް… pic.twitter.com/J2GEMHIDQl

— Fayyaz Ismail (@faya_i) October 29, 2024

Fayyaz noted that Ihusan has been serving as the head of investigative agencies for nearly a year. He described the repeated allegations by Ihusan while making no effort to direct investigative agencies to investigate and prosecute the purported corruption as “irresponsible.”

In his letter, Fayyaz noted that despite the serious allegations of corruption being made against him in a case involving public funds, he has never been questioned regarding it in an official capacity and nor has the case been subject to a formal investigation.

He said the allegations against him were politically motivated and misleading, and being made in a manner that prevents him from being able to properly answer to them.

“Today, I asked the ACC and the police to investigate this case in order to pave a path for formal accountability,” he said. “Ihusan should make his next claims about this project after fulfilling the legal responsibilities he has been charged with by the people.”

BIG is co-owned by Fayyaz’s older brother Hassan Ismail and Mohamed Munshid – a former photographer at the President’s Office. And part of Moonimaage was purchased by the company.

Both Fayyaz and Hassan Ismail have previously denied the allegations of corruption.