Parliament recommends review of ventilator corruption case

The Parliament has voted in favor of recommending the Prosecutor General’s Office to review its decision not to pursue corruption charges against Health Ministry officials in connection to a contract to procure ventilators.

A compliance audit released by the Auditor General’s Office in August had uncovered irregularities in COVID-19 related spending by the Health Ministry - primarily with regard to a MVR 34.50 million contract to Dubai-based Executors General Trading to procure 75 ventilators – prompting a joint investigation by the ACC and Maldives Police Service.

The ACC completed the investigation and requested the Prosecutor General’s Office for corruption charges against 11 Health Ministry officials in connection to the ventilator contract, including Abdulla Ameen, who recently resigned as Health Minister in face of the allegations.

However, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced its decision to decline charges against the officials on October 20, citing lack of sufficient evidence to prove the charges.

Following the decision, Parliament Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed requested the Judiciary Committee to launch an inquiry into the decision. And the Judiciary Committee voted in favor of recommending the Prosecutor General’s Office to review its decision.

The Parliament passed the report compiled by the Judiciary Committee following its review with the vote of 50 at the parliamentary sitting on Monday afternoon.

The report makes three recommendations; that the Prosecutor General’s Office to obtain additional information linked with the case from investigative agencies, that it review the case, and share its decision regarding review of the case with the Judiciary Committee.

ACC rejects the assertion that there was a lack of evidence in the case, and requested the Prosecutor General’s Office for a review of the case on October 25.