Most on MMPRC scandal list dollar buyers, president says

President Mohamed Muizzu has revealed on Monday evening that most of the people on the list prepared by the agencies on the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) scandal are people who made dollar exchange transactions.

The President also said that the recently leaked police investigative statement is not valid. The President also denied that he received MVR 14 million from former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb from the MMPRC scam.

Responding to such allegations, the President said that his name was never on the lists compiled by the MDP government investigating the scandal. There is no way to link the fraud to him, he said.

"The story of me receiving MVR 14 million from MMPRC funds. Look, my name  has never been in the list that has been changed several times during the MDP rule, even among politicians [and] in various businesses and dollar exchangers," he said.

The President then spoke about those on the list compiled by the MDP government for allegedly receiving fraud money. The President said most of the people on the list are not criminals.

"Most of the people on it [the list] are those that bought dollars for business. However, my name is not on the list," he said.

Speaking further on the leaked statement, the President said he had clarified information from the police to see how it had happened. The President quoted the police as saying that the document circulating on social media was edited and had no original content.

The Presidential Commission set up by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's government to investigate the MMPRC scam has compiled a list of those who received money through the SOF company used to conduct the scam. The list was made public in the 19th parliament. Thus:

Some even questioned the validity of the list.

Before the president’s speech PNC PG Leader and Inguraidhoo Constituency Member Ibrahim Falah said there was no reason for his name to be on the list. The reason given was that he had been self-employed since the age of 10.

He alleged that his name was put in the list by some people. It is a baseless accusation with the participation of the MDP, former President Abdullah Yameen and Adheeb.

"I have to say this because during President Yameen's tenure, we were actually included in the MMPRC list. We are people who have been doing business, working from a very young age, since the age of 10 and earned our wealth," said Falah, who was a member of the 18th Parliament when the scam took place.

"The way we bought USD 80,000 will be very clear. That's why I'm calling today to look into the matter. The Honourable President of the Republic [Muizzu] should bring the thieves to trial and recover the money for the state." 

He accused Yameen of theft and criticised him at the event. The biggest traitor is Yameen, he said.

"People will not accept what President Yameen is saying. President Yameen the president who betrayed this country, in the biggest scam ever, among all the people who ever ruled," Falah said.

He said Yameen is speaking out against the government because he is afraid of President Muizzu for saying that he will investigate the thefts and punish those involved.

"He is doing that. The culprits are scared now that the work has begun, that's what is happening," Falah said.

In a former PNC meeting, President Muizzu had said that he would look into the MMPRC fraud and recover the money back to the state. To do so, the government will enact an Asset Recovery Act, he said.