ACC Explores Graft Charges Against Four Ex-Gov’t Officials

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched the duty prosecution process with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to explore the possibility of charging four high-level officials of the previous government with corruption over the social housing schemes ‘Binveriyaa’ and ‘Gedhoruveriyaa.’

ACC in a statement late Wednesday said it was exploring a way forward with the PGO to file corruption charges against several officials over the two housing schemes launched by the previous Administration.

The four housing ministry officials of the previous Administration under investigation have already been slapped with travel bans.

ACC are reportedly exploring graft charges against former State Housing Minister Akram Kamaluddeen, former Senior Executive Director Mohamed Arif, former Senior Executive Director Lirqaam Waheed and former Director General Ahmed Vishan Naseem.

In addition to the Gedhoruveriyaa scheme, ACC has also launched another investigation into recent allegations of forgery and abuse of power in the allocation of the land plots under the Binveriyaa scheme.

Last week, the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) came under heavy scrutiny after it emerged that Binveriyaa Scheme land plots had been issued to individuals who were not entitled to them.

Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef has ordered the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and the ACC to seek charges if any violations are found.

In addition, the Prosecutor General has also asked the authorities to provide weekly updates on the progress of the investigation.

Authorities have acted swiftly to investigate the allegations with several high-level officials dismissed and suspended pending investigation.