Hanimaadhoo councillors accused of corruption in land lease
Hasan said the complainant had informed the ACC "not in the best possible manner".
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday forwarded a request to the Prosecutor General's Office (PG) to prosecute three people, including president of HDh. Hanimaadhoo island council Abdul Sattar Hassan, for alleged corruption in leasing land from Hanimaadhoo harbour area to a family member in 2016.
The ACC filed a chargesheet connection with two land plots leased out to a family member in violation of rules when Hassan was the vice-president of Hanimaadhoo council.
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1,600 sq ft of land leased out in the harbour area following the council's announcement to lease land from that area for purposes such as hotel operations, business and oil works
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The case of leasing out an additional 128 sqft of land to the individual without making an announcement
The charges were requested against Hassan, who belongs to the main ruling MDP, and Mohamed Razi and Hassan Jaufar, who were members of the council at the time.
The ACC said on Tuesday:
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Investigation revealed that in 2016, the island council had approved the lease of 128 sqft of land belonging to the then vice president and the then member of the island; it was an unclaimed land.
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The investigation found that the land was leased without transparency, in violation of the rules governing allotment of land to the government and private parties for purposes other than for livelihood and the handing over of government land in the area under local council jurisdiction to the councils.
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1,600 sqft of land was allotted in violation of the policy for 15 years
Since the land was leased to a person who was related as kin, "without obtaining permission and knowing that it was done to attain undue benefits to a particular person", the ACC said it would request the PG to register a case of corruption against the trio under Section 513(b) of the IPC.
The article states:
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Abuse of official position
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This includes misusing his official position or prejudicial position as a public servant and doing so with the intention of benefiting himself or someone who is not entitled to it
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Such an act amounts to class IV offence
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That is, by basic standards, an offence punishable by one year, seven months and six days in jail; the maximum punishment is two years in jail.
The ACC said it was not aware that the council had received the penalty amount due to delay in payment of rent as per the agreement:
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MVR 30,240 as rent
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MVR 5,927 as fine
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A total of MVR 36,167.
"If there is any money that has not yet been received, we have sought it. The Hanimaadhoo Council office has been informed," the ACC said in a statement.
Land given in a fair manner; no nepotism: Hassan
Reacting to the case, Haasan told Atoll Times on Tuesday that the land was given in the most fair manner and nothing was done under the table.
"It was not us who prepared the bid and prepared the documents. It was done by a separate committee. We have not asked for allotment of land to any particular group. And I believe that the land has been given to the beneficiary in a fair manner," he said.
Hasan said the complainant had informed the ACC "not in the best possible manner". He said the commission had also looked into the matter "not in the best possible manner".
"For sure, the Council has never shown nepotism in any of its terms," Hassan said.
When asked if Hassan had done such a thing directly on his own, he denied it.
"No. It's not my way of taking decisions using influence," he said.
