Adheeb charged with abuse of power

Former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Gafoor has been charged with abuse of power.

An official from the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) told Sun Media today that the former Vice President was charged with abuse of power for leasing a lagoon in Malé atoll to a foreign company in such a way that paves the road corruption and misappropriating the funds that he received in return.

The former Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Abdulla Ziyath was also charge in the case.

Both Abdulla Ziyath and former Vice President Adheeb was charged as a single case.

This is the first charges under the new penal code.

Penal Code Article 513-B Misuse of Government Information or Authority to Obtain a Benefit

Misuse of Official Authority. A person commits an offense if he:

(1) uses or influences official authority in his capacity as a public official,

(2) for the purpose of obtaining a benefit for himself or for another person to which he is not entitled

The new penal code defines misuse of official authority as a class 4 felony. If convicted, the person can be sentenced to four years in prison.