ACC seeks charges against 8 over Dhuvaafaru council graft
Zakat money of around MVR 400,000 was also deposited in the personal accounts of members.
By
Aminath Shifleen
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday forwarded a case to the Prosecutor General's Office (PG) seeking prosecution of eight persons in connection with the MVR 2 million fraud case against Dhuvaafaru Council.
A special audit conducted by the Local Government Authority (LGA) revealed that the Dhuvaafaru Council had committed a fraud of over MVR 2 million and deposited money in the personal accounts of council members. Following an inquiry, the LGA suspended all its members.
In the case, the ACC said:
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Investigated cases against 12 persons
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After the duty prosecution process, an application for framing of charges was sent against eight
The eight are:
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Council President Hassan Hakim
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Council Vice President Ismail Ahmed
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The then member of the council, Ahmed Samooh
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Council member Mohamed Sham
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Council member Zuhuda Adam
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Council member Aminath Solah
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Secretary General Mohamed Nasih
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The then Assistant Director of the Council, Mohamed Ali
According to the agency, the charges sought against all of them are as follows:
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Accused of misusing official position to gain undue advantage
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Aaccused of misappropriating public property
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Accused of acting otherwise in a matter which is beneficial to the state
According to the ACC, a special team had gone to the island after the matter was referred to the commission in July last year, which was found to have led to large-scale cash transactions in violation of norms. "We have collected the required information for the investigation, concluded the case within two months and sent it to duty prosecution," the source said.
Here are some of the highlights of LGA’s earlier monitoring report:
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MVR 1.7 million was deposited in the personal accounts of councillors, women's development committee members and council staff in violation of public finance rules
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Over a hundred thousand Rufiyaa have been handed over to councillors, members of women's development committee and civic body staff without any permission or documentation, in cash
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Zakat money of around MVR 400,000 was also deposited in the personal accounts of members
Corporators and staff have been negligent in managing, handling and accounting of public property
