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ACC probes into PSM missing MVR 9 mil case

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) building. (Photo/ACC)

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an investigation into the case of a missing MVR 9 million from Public Service Media’s (PSM) funds.

In a statement issued by ACC, the commission said it was looking into a case that involves money earmarked for a currency exchange transaction and income. PSM submitted the case to the commission, with ACC launching its official investigation earlier in July.

ACC further said it is currently looking into additional matters regarding the case after completing its preliminary investigation. Earlier when the Auditor General’s Office conducted a special audit on the state-media, the office had shared details about its audit with the commission as well.

“Both agencies put collaborative efforts in a manner not to tamper the evidence collected in the case,” the statement added.

The commission also highlighted Maldives Police Service had earlier in September submitted the same case to it as well.

According to PSM’s audit report, a total of MVR 9,034,083 has been ‘missing’ from its finances. The money include:

  • A total of MVR 4.58 million from the total money withdrawn from PSM’s bank accounts from 2020 to April 2024 for currency exchange transactions
  • Portion of revenue generated by PSM from 2017 until April 2024
  • MVR 4.26 million received for other various transactions
  • MVR 190,087 kept in PSM’s safe

A total of MVR 5,785,346 had been withdrawn through multiple occasions from 2020 to April 2024 to exchange for US dollars, however, USD 297,257 – equivalent to an exchange of MVR 4,583,701 – was never received to PSM.

Out of the entire total withdrawn from PSM funds for currency exchange, it had only received USD 76,731 – equivalent to MVR 1,201,645.

While a total of MVR 1,284,479 had been withdrawn from US dollar exchange transactions through online transfers, a total of MVR 1,164,068 out of this total – equivalent to USD 75,491 – was credited through multiple transactions to a bank account that belonged to former Finance Director of PSM.

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