AG to request review of Dheebaja case on President's orders

The Attorney General’s Office has decided to submit the verdict issued by the Supreme Court in the case of Dheebaja for a review to the Supreme Court.

The Attorney General’s Office stated that the move was made after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ordered to do so after taking into account the concerns expressed by the public over the case.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih decided to award Dheebaja Pvt Ltd compensation of MVR 174 million following a recommendation from the settlement committee. This was, however, rejected by the parliament’s Public Accounts Committee which in turn passed to send the case to the Supreme Court for a review.

The case stems from a transport agreement made with the company during the administration of President Mohamed Nasheed. The agreement was terminated and Dheebaja claimed compensation after filing the case at the Civil Court which ordered the state to pay MVR 348 million as compensation. After the verdict was appealed to the High Court, it was overturned only for the Supreme Court to later overrule the High Court and uphold the verdict of the Civil Court.

The Supreme Court’s verdict came due to procedural issues noted in the appeal process of the case.

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee members had even pointed a finger of bribery at the settlement committee after the later recommended to pay the compensation.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has estimated that the state will lose MVR 6.8 billion as settlement compensations. It has already forked over a billion as compensation that has seen public criticism leveled at the government.