POLCO’s CEO Anees suspended

Police Corporative Society (POLCO)’s CEO Ahmed Anees has been suspended from his post.

Sun has learned that POLCO’s board is currently reviewing a no-confidence complaint against Anees. Although Anees was called to attend the board meeting regarding the complaint on Sunday, he failed to attend.

As such, the board decided to suspend Anees pending completion of the review.

Anees, who had served in Maldives Police Service for over 20 years, was appointed POLCO’s CEO during last year’s March.

Anees’ suspension comes as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigates POLCO over corruption allegations. The Commission has raided POLCO’s office twice as part of their investigation.

The allegations pertain to the 2013 police housing project ‘Blues Housing Project’ run by POLCO.

The Auditor General’s Office released its audit of the project on January 23^rd which uncovered losses amounting to MVR 354.7 million due to POLCO’s “corruption and incompetence.”

The audit uncovered that the project – which should have cost MVR 745.3 million or MVR 859.9 million at the most based on average market price – cost over MVR 1 billion.

The audit found the project resulted in losses amounting to MVR 354.7 million due to “corruption and incompetence.”

The case is also under investigation by a subcommittee of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

During a meeting on Sunday, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, the chair of the subcommittee, said they haven’t been able to access all the documents related to the case. Nazim said that the most important decision the committee must decide is what do with top police officials implicated in the case.

He said that it is imperative to decide whether they should be allowed to remain in their roles amid the investigation.

The Parliament has also received a letter from a police whistleblower highlighting more allegations of corruption linked to POLCO.