BroadCom's ex-chief Shaheeb appointed as President’s Office spokesperson

Mohamed Shaheeb, the former president of Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom), has been appointed as the chief spokesperson of the President’s Office.

The appointment was made on Wednesday, close of a month after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration took office.

Shaheeb, who began his journalist career at Haveeru News, has filled a number of top positions at various media stations over the years. This includes as an editor at Haveeru, and as COO of Sun Online.

Shaheeb was appointed to BroadCom in 2011, and went on to serve as the commission’s vice president, and later, president.

He faced backlash for some of the decisions he took during his tenure at the commission, including imposing hefty fines on media stations.

The fines were imposed under the now repealed Defamation Act during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

Shaheeb resigned from the commission in 2019, in face of a no-confidence motion at the Parliament.

The Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee, which investigated the allegations against Shaheeb, concluded that he had tabled motions during meetings in violation of the law, and allowed for decisions that infringed on fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution.