Yameen calls on govt to publicize recipients of funds embezzled from MMPRC

Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has called on the government to publicize the names of the people involved in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) graft scandal, and those who received the funds embezzled from the corporation.

At a People’s National Front (PNF) rally held on Monday evening, Yameen said that Home Minister Ali Ihusan appeared to be a “mega minister”, who portrays himself as “very gutsy and macho.”

He said that the decision to publicize the names of companies that have failed to pay work permit and quota fees for expatriate workers, and the decision to publicize the names of irregular expatriates on the run from the law were examples of Ihusan’s “gutsy” approach.

Yameen said that embezzlement of state funds is an issue of high public interest, second only to the country’s housing crisis.

He questioned why the Home Ministry does not use the same approach and publicize the names of the people who received funds embezzled from MMPRC.

“What is the holdup? Why aren’t they publicizing the names of the people who received funds from [former vice president Ahmed] Adeeb? This is what the public wants, right?” he said.

Yameen said that publicizing the names of the recipients of the embezzled funds is “necessary”, and something he personally strongly advocates for.

He said that in other countries, the police commissioner and prosecutor general are compelled to investigate cases where public officials are suspected of involvement in cases of corruption such as the MMPRC case.

He added that the police have an “authentic” list of recipients of MMPRC funds.

“Why is Ihusan or the police commissioner hesitating to publicize the list of people who took money from Adeeb or from MMPRC? How much of a national security threat does it pose?” he asked.

Yameen himself is on retrial on charges of money laundering and bribery in connection to the MMPRC scandal.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2022, for accepting a bribe for the sale of V. Aarah and then laundering the money. The High Court overturned the conviction on April 18, citing major legal irregularities. But instead of a full exoneration, the court overturned the two convictions and ordered a retrial in the case.

His acquittal in the Aarah case had marked the second time for a court to overturn a conviction against the former Maldivian leader. In 2021, the Supreme Court overturned a five-year sentence issued against him for money laundering in connection to the sale of GA. Vodamulla – another island which was leased for resort development during his administration.