Yameen: ACC being fed ‘fish and chips’ to overlook allegations against President Muizzu

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s failure to investigate allegations against President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu shows the corruption watchdog itself is corrupt, alleges former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

President Muizzu has been accused of multiple acts of corruption by the opposition – allegations that he denies.

At a townhall meeting on Sunday night by Yameen’s People’s National Front (PNF), the former Maldivian leader accused President Muizzu of bribing officials in various state institutions, including the ACC. He alleged that this is the reason why cases lodged against President Muizzu with state bodies remain ignored.

He accused Adam Shamil, the president of the ACC himself, of being corrupt.

“Therefore, if Shamil himself isn’t investigating these cases, then my accusation is that the person who is responsible for stopping corruption himself is trapped in the web of corruption. He isn’t investigating these cases because he is being fed the same fish and chips,” said Yameen.

Yameen said that he sees no reason why Shamil would not investigate corruption allegations against President Yameen if he isn’t taking bribes from him.

He said that the ACC must investigate acts of corruption by state officials, even if it requires them to stop everything else, they are doing.

“The first thing they need to do, even if this requires stopping everything else, they are doing, is to expedite investigations against officials who hold public office, based on the severity of the transgression. It is not when the common man steals a bottle of rihaakuru that they need to take action,” he said.

Yameen said that if the President himself is being accused of corruption, then it is impendent upon the head of the ACC to investigate these allegations and rule out or clear him of corruption.

He alleged that President Muizzu is “taming” law enforcement agencies by paying bribes. He said that the source of the money for the alleged bribes also requires investigation.

Yameen added that President Muizzu must also personally answer to the allegations being made against him.

The allegations of corruption against the ACC comes amid mounting public concern over the failure of the institution to effectively investigate cases of corruption. In November, President Muizzu remarked that acts of corruption are most frequently carried out by low and middle-ranking state officials – a comment that drew immediate backlash.

A money laundering conviction that was later overturned had disqualified Yameen from contesting the 2023 presidential elections. Though he initially asked the then-opposition PPM-PNC (Progressive Party of Maldives-People’s National Congress) coalition to boycott the election, he later endorsed President Muizzu, who won the vote taken by the coalition’s joint senate to produce a backup candidate.

Yameen was transferred home on October 1, 2023 – a day after President Muizzu won the presidential election.

But less than a week after President Muizzu took office, Yameen left the ruling PPM-PNC and initiated efforts to form a new party, the PNF.

He later grew increasingly vocal in his criticism of President Muizzu’s administration.