President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has vowed the administration will firmly abide by a policy of zero-tolerance on corruption. The president made the statement in his maiden presidential address, delivered at the first sitting of the first session of parliament for this year.
The president said the administration is undertaking swift evaluation of 11 laws and regulations that had been amended for the purpose of political gain and to target opposition politicians. He called upon the parliament to expedite the bills on misappropriation of state property and funds and the investigation of unsolved murders.
Noting at the time of his inauguration there was not a single state body free from corruption, President Solih stated by failing to take adequate action against people who were misappropriating state funds, those institutions in turn became enablers of corruption. The president formulated the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery to reclaim embezzled assets and money.
In his address, the president assured the commission has convened its work and has thus far retrieved a number of documents regarding the MMPRC corruption. The president assured the commission has commenced investigations with technical assistance from foreign experts and has the full support of a number of government agencies from various countries.
The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scheme which was exposed in 2015 put a USD 77.6 million dent in the state coffers. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also investigated the case and estimated the funds misappropriated from the state would be close to USD 100 million.
Maldives Police Service issued a press statement Wednesday night stating it has acquired evidence to support the claim the perpetrators of the crime deposited the money from SOF Private Limited's bank account to a bank account opened under the name of the former president at MIB and therefore, instructed the former president to return the funds to the state, but to no avail. The police stated instead the funds were being rotated and used to generate profit.
In turn, the police has requested the Prosecutor General to press charges against former President Yameen for money laundering and giving false statements to mislead an investigation.
In his address, President Solih vowed action against those responsible, in accordance with laws.