Saamee denies corruption charges

Former Director General at the Ministry of Finance Saamee Ageel has denied the charges against him by the State, accusing him of conferring undue advantage to Malaysia’s Nexbis in the process of awarding the border control system project to Nexbis.

The State presented its claims at the trial in Criminal Court today, which was followed by Saamee denying the charges and requesting to proceed with a lawyer.

Chief Judge Abdullah Mohamed gave Saamee a period of three days to appoint a lawyer.

Saamee is being accused of having violated the rules in relation to three issues.

State Prosecutor Aminath Raya Ali said in court today that in 2009, Samee, while holding the post of Director General at the Ministry of Finance, assumed the duties of the Tender Board Secretariat, accepted Nexbis as a consortium, and evaluated the company after it was shortlisted and asked by the Finance Ministry to submit its bid for the border control system project.

She said that Saamee filled in the technical bid evaluation section for 20 marks (out of 60 marks) himself, and evaluated the Financial Bid after the Letter of Technical Bid and Financial Bid submitted by Nexbis had expired.

She said that Saamee had also made changes to the policy on giving marks in the evaluation of the Financial Bid Price Proposals such that it benefited Nexbis, and gave marks himself.

Saamee is charged with reference to article 12 (a), under 12 (b) of the Corruption Prevention and Prohibition Act.

The State has also pressed charges against former Controller of Immigration Ilyas Hussain Ibrahim for conferring undue advantage in relation to the border control system project. Ilyas has also denied the charges.