ACC scraps halt on sale of lagoon by Qasim’s Villa company

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has suddenly scrapped its order to halt 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.

The order has been suddenly scrapped at a time political ties between Qasim and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have been strained after verbal jabs between the two regarding this case.

Speaking to Sun, ACC’s Communications Officer Nishan Mohamed Didi said they scrapped the order as the commission sees no further reason to carry on with the halt.

Sun has learned that ACC ordered the halt over an investigation they have launched with respect to Vaavehdhi lagoon in light of a complaint filed by a private individual.  ACC has previously investigated a case pertaining to the lagoon as well.

Speaking at the 158^th meeting of JP’s National Council held on June 24^th – Qasim, in light of the order to halt the sale of the lagoon, said there was no more wrong left for the president to commit, in the sense he has committed all wrongs, and accused the president’s influence in ACC’s order.  

He added that the president’s action has now exceeded limits, and that “he needs to go home”.

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.