Parliamentary committee seeks police probe into Addu council
He also proposed that the Local Government Authority (LGA) conduct its own inquiry.
The Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has decided to request a police investigation into issues identified in audit reports relating to Addu City Council.
The committee met on Monday to review the council's compliance audit reports for 2022 and 2023, as well as its financial audit report for 2024.
Following discussions on the findings, Hithadhoo North MP Ahmed Azan of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) proposed that the Maldives Police Service investigate matters in the reports that could involve criminal offences.
He also proposed that the Local Government Authority (LGA) conduct its own inquiry, noting that a number of councillors who served during the period covered by the audits remain in office.
The committee approved both proposals by majority vote.
Among the issues highlighted in the audit reports were:
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Expenditure of MVR 1.2 million on study tours during 2023 and 2024 despite cost-control directives issued by the Ministry of Finance and the former Ministry of Local Governance.
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The addition of 166,340 square feet of land and a separate 5,000-square-foot plot to 10 tourism lease plots covering 52,000 square feet without a public announcement or bidding process.
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An increase of 162,540 square feet to one lease plot, amendments to the head leases of eight plots in Meedhoo and Feydhoo, and the addition of a 3,800-square-foot plot to leased land in Hithadhoo without public notice.
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Failure to deposit MVR 492,533 in state revenue collected up to the end of 2024 into the Public Bank Account maintained at the Maldives Monetary Authority.
The audit reports relate to a period during which the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) held the majority in the Addu City Council.
