ACC halts sale of lagoon by Qasim’s Villa company

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has ordered the halt of the sale of Vaavehdhi lagoon in Kaafu Atoll leased to Jumhoory Party’s (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim’s Villa Hotels and Resorts Private Limited under an amended and restated lease agreement by the government.

ACC’s Senior Communications Officer Nishan Mohamed Didi confirmed the halt of the sale over the case lodged with the commission.

However, he did not disclose any further information regarding the case, citing the investigation to be ongoing.

“I cannot share any further details at the moment as the investigation into the case is ongoing,” he said.

Sun has learned that the investigation was initiated over Villa’s decision to sell the lagoon. ACC has previously investigated a case pertaining to the lagoon as well.

The lagoon was repossessed from the company during the previous administration. However, Villa won the case they submitted claiming the lease agreement had been nullified by the government unlawfully at Supreme Court stage. As a result, the lagoon was returned to Villa.

Another corruption claim was lodged over the lagoon in 2018, Back then ACC decided that the lessee had not received any undue advantages.