Parliament sends HRCM member's case to Committee for review

The Parliament has sent the case of Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) member Moosa Ali Kaleyfaanu who has been embroiled in allegations of corruption during his time at the Disaster Management Center from 2007 to 2010.

The case was highlighted by Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Gender Chair, MP Jeehan Mahmood who sent a letter to the Speaker of the Parliament stating that numerous complaints were being received regarding Mr. Moosa Ali Kaleyfaanu’s continued presence at the Commission despite the allegations against him.

MP Jeehan submitted this issue to the Parliament since the new regulations of the Parliament permitted dismissal cases of a member of an independent institution to be submitted to the Parliament under Regulation 210. The regulation also states that after the announcement of such a case being reviewed by the Parliament by the Speaker of the Parliament, the case must be sent to the Parliament Committee to which it is relevant.

The case has now been sent to the Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Gender.

A document shared with MPs showed that the Police concluded an investigation into the case on May 13, 2014, and forwarded the case to the Prosecutor General’s Office. However, the PG Office resent the case back to the Police due to incomplete information after nearly two years on May 22, 2016.

The required information was provided by the Police on August 17, 2016, according to the information provided by the PG office to the Parliament. However, the information provided by the Police to the Parliament shows that the required information was provided to the PG Office on the same day as requested by the PG Office.

HRCM member Moosa Ali Kaleyfaanu is alleged to have embezzled around MVR 1.4 million from the Disaster Management Center during his time as the Director-General from 2007 to 2010. Charges were also raised against eight other individuals in the case. Mr. Moosa Ali Kaleyfaanu was even arrested in early 2013 regarding the case before being appointed as a member of HRCM during the administration of President Yameen.