Pardoned Adeeb leaves Maldives

Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, who had been convicted and sentenced to prison over the MMPRC corruption scandal, had departed from the Maldives after he secured a last-minute presidential pardon from outgoing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. 

Reliable sources confirmed to Atoll Times that Adeeb had left the country, but his destination and when he left are yet unclear. 

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday pardoned former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and former MMPRC Managing Director Abdulla Ziyath who have been convicted and sentenced to prison over the MMPRC corruption scandal.

President Solih's five-year presidential term ended on Friday. His decision just five days before the end of his term has been condemned by anti-corruption organisations and the public. 

Adeeb was sentenced to 20 years in jail under a plea bargain agreement with the state. Under such a deal, Ziyath was sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Despite the verdicts, the Solih government placed the two men under house arrest. The two spent most of President Solih's term at home.

As part of the MMPRC corruption scandal, which took place during former President Abdulla Yameen's government, more than MVR 3.2 billion from the lease of islands and lagoons were siphoned off from the state, transferred to private accounts, and used to buy political influence and enrich those involved. 

President Solih came to power in 2018 with a promise to investigate the scandal and recover the stolen funds. By the end of his five years in office, the state has not recovered a single Rufiyaa.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison in connection with the scandal. After President Solih's defeat in the election, Yameen, who has been in jail for the past two years, was placed under house arrest on October 1. The verdict is pending appeal in the High Court.