Malé mayor says information officer withheld audit findings without approval

Malé City Mayor Adam Azim has said the council's Information Officer acted without authorisation in withholding information relating to internal audit findings on alleged corruption and pledged disciplinary action against those responsible.

Allegations of corruption during the period when President Dr Mohamed Muizzu served as Mayor of Malé have been raised by the opposition. The current council has previously confirmed that two internal audits were conducted into the allegations and that the findings were forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The issue arose after a member of the public submitted a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking access to the audit findings and information relating to those involved.

After the statutory deadline had passed, the council initially responded that the information would be published once it had been approved at a council meeting.

The applicant subsequently lodged a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM).

In its submission to ICOM, the council argued that the requested information could not be disclosed under Article 30(a) and (b) of the RTI Act, citing the need to protect the state's financial and economic interests.

ICOM, however, noted that the council's earlier response had indicated the information would eventually be published, suggesting there was no basis to conclude that disclosure would harm those interests. The commission ordered the council to issue a revised response within three days.

Speaking at a council meeting on Wednesday, Azim said the response submitted to ICOM had been prepared by the Information Officer without consultation with either himself or the council's Secretary General.

"The response given at yesterday's ICOM hearing was issued by our Information Officer independently, without consulting me or the council's Secretary General," Azim said. "We place a high priority on providing information that must be disclosed under the RTI Act."

Azim said executive meetings have been held weekly since 2025 to monitor RTI requests. He added that when an RTI matter proceeds to ICOM, the Information Officer is required to brief the Mayor, the Secretary General and the Legal Department before responding.

According to Azim, that procedure was not followed in this case.

He said the submission made to ICOM did not reflect the council's position and that staff had previously been instructed not to refuse requests for information without the knowledge of councillors and senior management.

Azim said disciplinary action was being taken against those involved and reiterated that the council would disclose all information that can legally be released.

He also said the council had begun publishing detailed audit reports and land registry information, adding that he had taken responsibility for making such information publicly available.

Council Secretary General Abdul Muhaimin Naseer said the RTI request had originally been submitted last year.

He said the response issued on 18 January, indicating the information would be published later, had been prepared during the previous council term and the matter remained unresolved.

According to Muhaimin, staff informed a Heads of Department meeting last Tuesday that there were no outstanding RTI matters. However, a subsequent review of email correspondence found that a response had been sent to ICOM shortly before the hearing.

He said the response was submitted outside the council's established RTI procedures and without the knowledge of senior management.

Muhaimin added that statements are being recorded and administrative and disciplinary proceedings have begun against the employees involved.