Salam, Thoha resign from ACC ahead parliament vote on dismissal

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s vice president Abdul Salam and member Thoha Mohamed have resigned from their posts ahead of a parliament floor vote on their dismissal in light of no-confidence motions submitted against them. 

Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee voted in favor of dismissing both individuals from their posts on Sunday. The debate on the Committee’s report was slated on the agenda for Monday’s sitting.

However, Sun has learned that both individuals resigned from their posts ahead of the floor vote on their dismissal.

Notably, the Committee decided to dismiss both individuals after making severe allegations against them. 

In this regard, both of them have been accused of failing to fulfill their responsibilities and abusing their official capacity. Allegations in this trajectory include their actions concerning some cases and against staff.

Allegations against ACC’s Vice President Salam

• Playing a crucial role in filing the case involving a former attorney general despite sufficient evidence to press charges after declaring otherwise
• Obstructing the investigation into ‘Binveriya’ housing scheme over the possibility of harming a specific political party and paving the way to destroy evidence in the case
• Forming a forensic section despite the lack of work assigned to the section, appointing an individual with close links as the head of the section and failing to undertake efforts to develop the section
• Influencing other members to conclude cases as desired and prioritizing personal interests when concluding cases
• Undue influence in the Commission's undertakings 

Allegations against ACC’s member Thoha

• Influence in the withdrawal of an appeal filed with High Court of an Employment Tribunal ruling on the dismissal of an ACC employee and disbursing over MVR 200,000 as damages contradictory to counsel rendered by the Commission’s legal team
• Playing a crucial role in filing the case involving a former attorney general despite sufficient evidence to press charges after declaring otherwise
• Being included as an attorney of a law firm despite ACC members being barred from employment in another post 

The Committee, on Sunday, also voted in favor of dismissing three members of the Elections Commission (EC); vice president Ali Nashath, Mohamed Asif and Mohamed Zahir. They have been accused of mishandling reregistration and obstructing the formation of The Democrats among other allegations. 

Notably, the Parliament is currently reviewing bills submitted by the government to empower the president to appoint presidents and vice presidents to both the ACC and the EC.