Bill seeking action against ex-presidents for illicit enrichment sent to Committee

The bill to amend the Penal Code which seeks to ease the process of pressing charges against individuals who have gained illicit enrichment while in a government post, even after they leave the post, was accepted by the Parliament on Wednesday, and forwarded to the committee for review.

The government-backed bill was submitted to the Parliament with the sponsorship of Maafushi MP Hussain Riza Adam. 

The amendment was proposed to Article 515 of the Penal Code to redefine the crime of illicit enrichment in light of the confusions arising from the existing wordings in the law.

The bill was accepted to the Parliament with the votes of 70 MPs on Wednesday. No lawmaker voted against accepting the bill.

Subsequently, the bill has now been forwarded to the Judiciary Committee for review.

As per the amendment, illicit enrichment while holding the post of the president, a cabinet minister, a parliamentarian or a judge, accounts for a class two criminal act. Illicit enrichment in other circumstances would amount to a class three criminal act.

Illicit enrichment under the amendment is defined as establishing and maintaining a standard of living that does not correspond to the income received while employed in a government post.

In this regard, acquiring property or money to their name or in the name of someone the individual has family, personal, or business links with, that do not correspond to the income earned while employed in the government post is considered illicit enrichment.

It is considered illicit enrichment if the individual is unable to prove that the standard of living established and maintained by them is within the confinement of law or if they are unable to prove that property or money acquired by another party with family, personal or business links to the person was acquired within the confinements of law.

If it is proven that the enrichment falls within the confinements of law, it would not be considered a crime.