MMA governor Naseer resigns from his post

Governor of central bank, Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), Ahmed Naseer has resigned from his post.

‘Sun’ has been informed Naseer met with the staff at MMA and announced his resignation this Wednesday.

Naseer’s resignation comes amid serious allegations against him in connection with the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) embezzlement and money laundering case.

One of the allegations is that he attempted to interfere in the work of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) – an autonomous unit within the central bank charged with identifying suspicious financial transactions with possible links to money laundering and terrorism financing.

The former head of FIU, Abdulla Ashraf, when questioned by the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament, said that Naseer once met with him on the terrace of MMA headquarters and instructed that he refrain from forwarding suspicious financial reports linked with high-profile figures so close to the presidential election.

Ashraf said that Naseer repeatedly interfered in the work of the FIU during his time at the unit, and said that it had been Naseer who instructed him not to report the escrow account opened by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom at the Bank of Maldives.

In respond to the allegations, Naseer told the Public Accounts Committee that he had assumed office at a time when MMA and the FIU had been deep under accusations of negligence in connection to the MMPRC case.

He said that the investigation into the allegations had been his top priority after assuming office.

He said he failed to gain cooperation from Ashraf for negligence investigation, and was forced to remove Ashraf from his position as head of FIU.

Naseer also said that while the USD 1 million deposit to Yameen’s account from SOF Private Limited came to FIU’s attention as early as June, 2018; he himself wasn’t informed of it until September, 2018.

He said the matter came to attention while Ashraf had been abroad on annual leave, and another official was placed as acting head of the unit.

Naseer was appointed governor of MMA on August 24, 2017.

Neither Naseer nor the MMA has issued official confirmation of the resignation as of yet.