4 former MRDC Board directors face corruption charges over landing craft case

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has requested the Prosecutor General’s Office for criminal charges against Ibrahim Nazeem, who had served as Managing Director of Maldives Road Development Corporation (MRDC) during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration, as well as three more directors on the Board at the time; Mohamed Riyaz (Volley Riyaz), Ahmed Rasheed, and Mohamed Ali Didi.

The case pertains to the allegation MRDC’s Board approved an advance payment of 50 percent to Tropic Investment Private Limited, which had won the bid for the procurement of a landing craft for MRDC in 2014, using influence of position to confer an undue benefit.

The case had been cleared of corruption following an investigation by ACC back in 2018, but was reinvestigation following a review of the case in 2019.

The ACC completed its investigation and requested the Prosecutor General General’s Office for the four former Board directors to be charges with using influence of position to obtain or confer an undue benefit under Article 12 (a) of Anti-Corruption Act on Tuesday.

ACC’s findings:

• MRDC’s Board passed a resolution amend the agreement and authorized the issuance of 50 percent of the cost of the landing craft (MVR 7,494,200) to Tropic Investment as an advance payment with full knowledge of Ibrahim Nazeem, Mohamed Riyaz, Ahmed Rasheed and Mohamed Ali Didi.
• Ibrahim Nazeem signed the amendment to the agreement and approved the payment voucher to issue the advance payment to Tropic Investment fully aware of the outcome of his actions, and by using the influence of his position to confer an undue benefit to Tropic Investment.