ACC seeks corruption charges against three, including state minister over contract to renovate detox center

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) for criminal charges against three government officials over corruption in the award of a contract to renovate the Drug Detoxification and Community Rehabilitation Center in GDh. Thinadhoo back in 2019.

In a statement Wednesday, the ACC said it has asked for charged against three former top officials at the Gender Ministry.

They are:

• Then-State Minister for Gender, Aishath Rasheed, Handhuvareege, S. Hithadhoo
•  Then-Director at Gender Ministry, Hudooda Waheed, Noovilu, GDh. Thinadhoo
• Then-Director at Gender Ministry, Aminath Shihama, Viligalaa, GDh. Gadhdhoo

All three had been on Gender Ministry’s bid committee at the time.

Aishath Rasheeda currently serves as State Minister for Health.

ACC has asked for all three to be charged with misuse of official authority under Section 513 (b) of the Penal Code, and acting in a manner which precludes an advantage to the state where a benefit exists under Article 13 of Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act.

The invitation to bids to renovate the detox center was posted by the National Drug Agency (NDA) in 2019.

ACC found that the Gender Ministry’s bid committee awarded the contract to the company which had scored the second highest points during evaluation, instead of the company that scored the highest.

The proposal by the company that was awarded the contract was MVR 657,846.60 higher than the company which had scored the highest.

The commission said the bid committee made the decision well aware of the fact it would provide the company which scored the second highest will an unfair benefit.