ACC asks to raise corruption charges against former Deputy Minister

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has forwarded a case to the Prosecutor General (PG) asking to raise charges against former Deputy Minister Mohamed Shareef for facilitating to attain undue advantage through use of influence from his position to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

ACC released a statement today stating that their investigations show that on the 28th of May 2010, a trip was made on a speed boat named “Kafelaa”, which was under the Upper-South Province Office at the time, to Gaafu Dhaalu Nadella with the intention designating the land area for the island’s football field, and that a Member of the Parliament had also made the trip on the speed boat, with the intention of opening a post for the Maldivian Democratic Party in Gaadu Dhaalu Nadella. The statement says that the MP had utilized the speed boat to travel to Gaafu Dhaalu Hoadedhoo and Gaafu Dhaalu Madaveli, even though no record exists of any purpose for the Upper-South Province Pffice to make such a trip to the islands.

The ACC statement further states that the person who held the position of Deputy Minister for Upper-South Province at the date, Mohamed Shareef, had confessed to such actions by saying that since he belonged to MDP which held power at the time, he views the work of his party and the work of the government as one and the same and that the atoll speed boat was indeed utilized for different purposes of the party.

ACC has asked the PG to charge Shareef under Article 12 of the Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act for facilitating to attain undue advantage through use of influence from position of office.