President forwards names for ACC membership to Parliament

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Wednesday, has forwarded selected names from the applications received for the post of Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) membership to the Parliament for approval.

Spokesperson at the President’s Office Mohamed Mabrook Azeez said that the names forwarded today by the Office, will only be disclosed by the Parliament.

ACC currently remains vacant, with the resignation of all five members composing the commission.

Their resignation came after Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee decided in November 2021 that they would recommend the dismissal of members found to be underperforming following their review. Following its review – the Committee voted to initiate the process of dismissal of all members of ACC in early December as they uncovered the Commission had over 16,000 pending cases.  

On December 26, 2021, the Committee recommended a vote of no-confidence motion on the Parliament floor against the ACC members.

Two of the commission’s members – Ibrahim Shakeel and Ali Ashraf – resigned after the committee began its review.   

The remaining members; the commission’s President Mariyam Shiuna, Vice President Fathimath Anoola, and Aishath Abdulla – tendered their resignation a day after the no-confidence motion was taken.

According to the law, within 60 days of an ACC seat becoming vacant, a new member should be appointed.

34 individuals put forth applications for ACC membership following the vacancy resulting from the resignation of all members.

In delivering his annual presidential address at the Parliament this year, President Solih stated that the legal proceedings of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMRC) graft scandal will commence as soon as members are appointed to ACC.

President Solih said that the biggest investigation carried out by the Asset Recovery Commission which is mandated to probe embezzlement and corruption of state assets is the MMPRC graft scandal.

Noting that the Commission has uncovered much information regarding the case – he said that their findings will be submitted to ACC as soon as new members are appointed.

“The Commission has decided to submit their findings to begin legal proceedings. My hope is that members will be appointed to the ACC as soon as the names are forwarded to the Parliament,” he had said.

He also noted the next phase of the investigation will be carried out by the newly formed ACC.