Yameen says didn't know MMPRC graft until Hajj visit
Yameen shed light on what he described as the most significant corruption case during his administration.
Former President Abdulla Yameen said on Thursday that he was unaware of the MMPRC corruption within his government until shortly before the Finifenmaa launch explosion in 2015 after his Hajj visit.
Speaking on Raajje TV, Yameen shed light on what he described as the most significant corruption case during his administration.
Yameen claimed that he had no knowledge of the extensive corruption being managed by then-Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, who oversaw the Tourism Ministry.
"I had no idea that Ahmed Adeeb was running the Tourism Ministry as Vice President and conducting such large-scale corruption through the MMPRC," Yameen said.
He noted that suspicions arose when Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad presented budget information before Yameen's Hajj pilgrimage.
“When Jihad brought the budget, there was very little allocated for acquisition costs from selling islands for revenue,” he explained.
Yameen recounted that he requested more details from the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), which indicated that less than $10 million had been collected from the sale or lease of islands and reefs.
“I asked Adeeb, why is there such a low amount? Why is the budget not being managed properly? Islands were sold to counter the budget, to avoid refinancing,” Yameen said.
According to Yameen, cracks started showing when Adeeb began resisting certain directives. This was particularly evident when Yameen suggested appointing a new tourism minister after returning from Hajj. Adeeb was unhappy with this suggestion, and tensions further escalated when Yameen refused to appoint MMPRC Managing Director Abdulla Ziyath as the Tourism Minister.
“I said Ziyath cannot stay because the Auditor General was his brother. I told Adeeb to name someone else as Tourism Minister, but he was not comfortable with this decision,” Yameen added.
The Finifenmaa launch explosion, which took place on September 28, 2015, marked a turning point. The blast occurred on the day Yameen returned from Hajj and resulted in injuries to his wife, a bodyguard, and a secretary. Adeeb’s subsequent arrest in connection with the explosion led to deeper investigations into the MMPRC corruption.
Since leaving office, Yameen has faced multiple corruption charges, including:
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GA. Vodamulaa case: Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison by a lower court, a verdict upheld by the High Court but quashed by the Supreme Court in November 2021.
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V. Aarah case: On December 25, 2022, Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined $5 million. The High Court ordered a retrial in April 2023, leading to his release.
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R. Fushidhiggaru case: Yameen was charged with fraud related to the lease of R. Fushidhiggaru, but no hearings have taken place since August 2023.
