Adeeb pressed with 9 charges; Ziyath pressed with 25 charges

Fresh charges have been pressed against former Vice President and Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor and former Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Abdulla Ziyath.

Speaking to press this Tuesday afternoon, Prosecutor General Aisthath Bisham said Ziyath has been charged with embezzling money from 25 islands leased for tourism, and that the office was reviewing cases of embezzlement from 30 more islands.

The State is owed MVR 613.08 million from the 25 islands.

Meanwhile, Adeeb has been charged with using the influence of his position for undue profit in lease of nine out of 58 islands under investigation by Anti-Corruption Commission.

Bisham said cases of the remaining 49 islands are still under investigation.

She said information on the remaining islands would be released to the media at a later date.

Adeeb, Ziyath, and businessman Hamid Ismail are serving prison sentences for embezzlement of USD 3 million paid as acquisition cost for lease of Lh. Maaenboodhoo.

Adeeb has also been charged with abuse of power in leasing a lagoon in Male’ Atoll for tourism to Ebony Private Limited for 50 years. Ziyath was charged with embezzling the USD 1 million paid in acquisition cost for the lagoon.