Police probe MVR 6.7 million corruption related to MPL, FSM

Maldives Police Service states they are probing corruption orchestrated jointly by some staff of Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) and Fuel Supplies Maldives (FSM) that involves the embezzlement of MVR 6.7 million.

In a press briefing held on Wednesday regarding major cases under investigation by the Economic Crimes Department – Head of Financial Crimes Unit, Inspector of Police Yoosuf Looth said the money was embezzled during transactions related to the purchase of fuel, from FSM by MPL.

The transactions had been carried out between January 2020 and October 2020.

“We noticed that MPL had issued payment for 119 deliveries orders for fuel that had not been delivered to MPL, by falsifying the fuel had been received by MPL, and this money had been embezzled,” he said.

Inspector Looth identified the suspects in the case as four Maldivians and one foreigner; three of them employed at FSM and two of them employed at MPL.

“Our investigation so far has uncovered over MVR 3 million has been deposited to the account of the foreigner between January 1, 2018, and November 30, 2020,” he added.

The police have requested the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) to file charges against the suspects, Inspector Looth noted.

Answering a question by Sun during the press briefing regarding the case, Police said the suspects in the case are the highest-ranking employees of both companies concerning fuel-related transactions.