Charges withdrawn against Athif over MMPRC graft scandal

The money laundering charge against Ibrahim Athif Shakoor, former head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), has been withdrawn.

Athif was charged on 27 February 2020 in relation to the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal. He currently serves as a strategic consultant at the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO).

A spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s Office, Ahmed Shafeeu, told Atoll Times that the charge against Athif qualified for an advisory agreement under the Criminal Procedure Code.

If convicted, the offence carried a fine of between MVR 10,000 and MVR 500,000, or imprisonment for up to one year.

Under Article 98 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Prosecutor General may issue an advisory instead of pursuing prosecution if the accused pleads guilty, accepts the prescribed conditions, and the offence is punishable by no more than one year of imprisonment.

Shafeeu said the duration of the case was also taken into account. “The case has been in court since 2020. That’s why we have considered that factor,” he said.

The law further allows prosecution to be continued in the public interest, particularly when the act is linked to the duties of a public official or when the offender holds a position of responsibility.

As head of the FIU, Athif was responsible for monitoring and reporting suspicious financial transactions to the relevant authorities. He was accused of failing to report irregularities connected to the MMPRC case, which caused the state financial losses estimated at nearly MVR 3 billion.

At the time, Athif held an official position within the MMA, and the alleged negligence was tied to his public duties.