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President's Office slams Al Jazeera article

Spokesperson of President's Office Ibrahim Muaz Ali has stated funds were deposited to a separate account of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to spend for his campaigning activities, assuring the deposit was made according to law. The comments were made by the Spokesperson of President's Office following an article published on Al Jazeera reporting USD 1.5 million was deposited to President Yameen's personal account shortly before the presidential election.

In the tweet responding to the allegation, the spokesperson agreed a special account was made for campaigning activities and dismissed any illegal activity took place in the procedure. Referring to a confidential letter sent to then acting Police Commissioner Abdulla Nawaz from Central Bank's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Al Jazeera reported President Yameen deposited funds in two instalments to a private bank account opened at the Maldives Islamic Bank,

Citing the letter, Al Jazeera revealed the FIU expressed a third party deposited USD 648,508 in hard currency to the president's account on September 5, with another USD 810,635 was deposited to the same account on September 10. Al Jazeera alleged the whole amount was later withdrawn from the account in hard currency before the presidential election.