ACC to clarify its standpoint in ventilator scandal investigation

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has stated that it will be revealing its point of view regarding the issues noted by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) within two weeks after the PG Office decided against bringing charges in the ventilator scandal of the Health Ministry. 

The PG Office cited a lack of evidence in the ACC investigation, in its decision against bringing charges in the ventilator scandal of the Health Ministry on October 20. 

The Parliament’s Judiciary Committee was then instructed by the Speaker Mohamed Nasheed. The Committee instructed the PG Office to review its decision. The Committee instructed the PG to uncover new information from state investigative bodies and inform the Committee on its reviewed decision. 

An ACC media official stated to Sun that the PG had shared information regarding issues it noted in the investigation that led to the decision against bringing charges. The ACC and the Police were now reviewing these issues and meetings have also been held with the PG Office. The ACC will be clarifying its standpoint on the issues in the next two weeks. 

The ACC requested charges against 11 individuals implicated in the scandal where gross misconduct was observed in the procurement of ventilators. The ventilators were to be procured to increase the capacity of the Maldivian health system to combat COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic in the Maldives.