Employment of former UK Attorney General for MVR1.8 million was legal: Jihad

Minister of Finance Abdullah Jihad has said that the employment of the former UK Attorney General Baroness Scotland for GBP75,000 (MVR1.8 million) for legal advice, was conducted according to the Finance Act.

Jihad said in response to a question posed by Sun Online today that the Attorney General’s Office had obtained the necessary permits from the Ministry of Finance prior to employing Baroness Scotland.

Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor said yesterday that Baroness Scotland was employed for advice following the issue of Maldives being put on the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

She added that MVR1.8 million is not an excessive price for the advice of Baroness Scotland.

A case has been filed to Anti-Corruption Commission against the government for spending this money.

The Maldivian government had paid Baroness Scotland GBP7,500 daily for two weeks for her services.