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Ahmed Adeeb. (Atoll Times File Photo)

President calls for equal treatment under law to combat graft

Under a pardon issued by former President Solih, Adeeb left the Maldives.

20 January 2025

President Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday emphasised the need for equal treatment under the law for all individuals accused of corruption to effectively combat the issue.

He made the remarks following the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) decision to cancel an agreement signed with former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and the SOF company involved in a money laundering case linked to the MMPRC corruption scandal.

In a statement posted on ‘X,’ President Muizzu welcomed the decision by Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef.

“I welcome the Prosecutor General’s decision to cancel agreements made by the former Prosecutor General granting privileges to certain individuals implicated in the MMPRC case and exempting them from further prosecution,” President Muizzu said.

“The scourge of corruption that has plagued this country for so long can only be eradicated if all those accused of involvement in such cases are treated equally in accordance with the law.”

During former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, substantial funds obtained through the lease of islands and lagoons under MMPRC were funnelled into the SOF account. These funds were subsequently disbursed and used for various purposes.

The SOF account was frozen in 2020 but later released. The PGO’s decision to cancel the agreements with Adeeb and SOF officials was aimed at resuming investigations into the MMPRC case and expediting the recovery of state funds.

The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that the agreements had been created to secure cooperation in investigating the MMPRC fraud and recovering lost funds. With the cancellation, the police and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have been instructed to submit investigation findings to the PGO promptly.

Adeeb had previously entered into a plea agreement with the state, resulting in a 20-year prison sentence. However, under a pardon issued by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Adeeb left the Maldives five days before the end of Solih’s presidency.

Similarly, Abdulla Ziyath, the former Managing Director of MMPRC, was pardoned by Solih after being sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Both Adeeb and Ziyath served their sentences under house arrest following the plea agreement.

Solih, who assumed office in 2018 with a commitment to investigate the MMPRC scandal and recover stolen funds, concluded his term without the recovery of any funds. His administration faced criticism from political parties and public associations over these pardons and the failure to deliver on the promised investigations.

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