Aftec corruption case against Finance Ministry employees sent to PG

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has forwarded a corruption case against three employees of Ministry of Finance to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The case accuses the three employees of having misused public funds of MVR11.8 million, in the process of supplying medical equipment to Atoll Hospitals and Health Centres in 2010.

The money was paid to Aftec Pvt Ltd, which never actually delivered the equipment.

Vice President of ACC Muavviz Rasheed said that the three persons accused of corruption are former Director General of Finance Ministry Saamee Ageel, former Deputy Director of Finance Ministry Ali Arif, and Project Officer of Finance Ministry Fathimath Shirana Shafeeg.

ACC has informed that Saamee Ageel is accused of approving the bid by Aftec, despite the fact that the company lacked the permit necessary to fulfil the bid criteria. Ageel also failed to bring this issue to the attention of the Bid Evaluation Board.

As for Arif, sufficient evidence had been collected against him during the investigation process, that he approved to release the money to Aftec lump sum, in spite of the discrepancies between the Invoice and the Delivery List.

ACC has requested PG to order Arif through prosecution, to pay back the MVR11.8 million to the State.

Shirana is being accused of using her post to confer undue advantage to certain people, and for failing to fulfil her responsibilities.