Ex-officials charged over allocation of flats, land
All four face charges of abusing their official positions.
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The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed charges against three senior officials of the Housing Ministry, including former State Minister Akram Kamaluddin, over the allocation of flats and land to ineligible applicants under the Binveriya and Gedhoruveriya housing schemes.
The PGO said on Thursday that the chargesheet was submitted to the Criminal Court on Wednesday against four individuals who were members of the committee established to determine flat recipients.
Those charged are:
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Akram Kamaluddin – then State Minister of Housing and Chairman of the Housing Committee
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Mohamed Arif – then Senior Executive Director of the Housing Ministry and committee member
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Ahmed Vishan Naseem – then Director General of the Housing Ministry and supervisor of the landlord scheme verification process
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Liram Waheed – then Senior Executive Director of the Housing Ministry and supervisor of the landlord scheme verification process
All four face charges of abusing their official positions. They are accused of awarding points to certain applicants in violation of the announcement issued on 27 June 2022 for the allocation of land under the Binveriya scheme and flats under the Gedhoruveriya scheme.
The PGO said the case is being expedited under an order from the Prosecutor General and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to fast-track investigations relating to public finances and public interest. Further aspects of the case are still under investigation by the ACC and the police.
The housing schemes involve the construction of 4,000 flats in Hulhumale by two Indian companies. Beneficiaries were determined under the previous administration. After taking office, President Mohamed Muizzu’s government established a new committee to review the list. A revised list released in February identified 1,820 people as eligible.
However, the decision was later reversed, and the allocation reverted to the original list prepared under the previous government. Housing Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has said that those who do not meet eligibility requirements would be removed from the permanent list, estimating that around 700 names may be excluded.
