Parliament seeks special audit into graft-ridden FAM

The finance committee of the parliament on Tuesday decided to ask the Auditor General's Office to conduct a special audit of the Football Association of the Maldives (FAM).

Committee chairman, Kinidhoo MP Mohamed Nashiz, asked members to propose special audits to be included in the Auditor General's Office work plan for next year.

Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb moved that FAM be included in the list of special audits in connection with the allegations of corruption against the FAM officials and the financial problems faced by the organisation. The motion was passed unanimously by the committee.

In addition to the FAM, the committee decided to conduct the following special audits:

The list originally included an audit of Fenaka Corporation, but the committee decided to replace Fenaka with FAM. 

The passport of FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel was seized on December 5.

Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem has said  that one of the main accused in the FAM corruption case is its president Bassam.

Police raided the FAM headquarters and recovered items related to the case late last month following allegations of misuse of foreign donations. The investigation is being conducted on the orders of the PG. 

Shameem said the allegations are against the people in charge of running the FAM and the main accusation is directed against FAM President Bassam.

Shameem said the police allege that the money sent by FIFA to the FAM is used for other purposes in violation of Maldivian laws and regulations.