Ex-Maldive Gas chief brother confirms funds from company supplier

Ahmed Hameed, brother of former Maldive Gas Managing Director Abdulla Maumoon, testified in court on Thursday that he received a monetary deposit from 3DH International, a supplier to Maldive Gas.

The testimony was given during a bribery case involving Abdulla Maumoon, who is facing seven charges related to alleged financial transactions with the supplier. One of the charges concerns a payment made into Ahmed Hameed’s account.

According to the seventh charge, a sum of USD 34,950 was deposited on 8 October 2017 into Ahmed Hameed’s account at Bank of Maldives.

During the hearing, Hameed stated that the money was deposited during a period when he was trying to secure funding for his son’s education in the United Kingdom. He told the court that he had communicated with his mother regarding financial assistance, not directly with Abdulla Maumoon.

Hameed also noted that his relationship with some of his father’s children, including Abdulla Maumoon, was limited. He initially believed the money was arranged through an aunt at the request of Abdulla Maumoon, as his mother had indicated. However, he later came to know that the money had been sent by a Maldivian businessman residing in the Maldives.

The case is part of a wider investigation into alleged financial misconduct during Maumoon’s tenure as Managing Director of Maldive Gas. Proceedings are ongoing.