Former Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim accused former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb of giving financial aid to a member of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The former auditor general made the remark, speaking about the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal, on a programme aired on PSM News.
Niyaz Ibrahim said in his collaboration with Al Jazeera on their exposé documentary, Stealing Paradise, they found out Adeeb gave financial aid to the tune of over USD 32,000 to a member of the ACC. He said during their investigations, they found communications via text messages between Adeeb and senior officials of the state and ACC.
The former Auditor General went on to explain the ACC member acknowledged he received the amount, via a text message to Adeeb. Niyaz stressed these are issues that warrant investigation and he has information that could implicate many more.
Based on his findings, Niyaz also questioned the autonomy of the ACC. He also accused the ACC member of relaying information about meetings held between ACC and the Audit Office to the former vice president. Niyaz, who was ousted from the position of Auditor General said Adeeb was receiving information about letters and communication with not only ACC, but Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) as well.
Even at earlier instances, Niyaz levelled accusations not only against ACC members, but also relatives of some ACC members accusing them of being recipients of funds from SOF Private Limited, the fronting company used to pilfer funds meant for MMPRC. He estimated the MMPRC corruption scandal could be worth USD 200 million.