Maldive Gas’ ex-MD Maumoon slapped with travel ban upon return to Maldives

A travel ban order has been issued against Abdulla Maumoon, the former managing director of Maldives Gas, upon his return to Maldives after five years of self-imposed exile.

In a brief press statement on Monday, the police said they were investigating a money laundering case against him.

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), which filed bribery charges against Maumoon back in April, has yet to make an official comment regarding the latest development.

However, Sun was able to verify through a credible source that Maumoon now has a travel ban order against him.

Maumoon served as Maldive Gas’ head between December 10, 2013, and November 16, 2018.

He is accused of receiving bribes from 3DH International – one of the company’s suppliers.

The PGO filed charges against him with the Criminal Court on April 18.

He was pressed with seven counts of accepting a bribe – each of which carries a minimum sentence of three years, two months and 12 days.

An investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found that Maumoon received multiple money transfers from 3DH to bank accounts registered to him, his family members and companies linked to him between April 2016 and October 2017.

The dates of the transfers correspond with shipments of petroleum supplied by 3DH to Maldive Gas, leading authorities to believe they were bribes.

The money transfers total USD 298,403.5 (MVR 4.6 million).

Maumoon had been residing overseas when the PGO filed the charges. The PGO had asked the court for an order to have Maumoon presented to court under police custody if he refused to voluntarily attend hearings.