Transport Minister condemns attack on Deputy Minister Shimaz

Transport Minister Aishath Nahula has condemned the recent attack of Deputy Transport Minister Shimaz Ali, whose dismissal she is seeking for corruption.

Nahula had asked President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to dismiss Shimaz back in October, based on a 2021 investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found him and five other Transport Ministry officials guilty of corruption in the award of a government contract to Versagio Pvt. Ltd. to manufacture machine-readable license plates.

Shimaz faced threats and had the seat of his motorbike slashed last week. And on Friday night, he was physically assaulted by a group of people on a road in Male’ City.

Some accused Nahula of involvement in the attacks – accusations which have been denied by Jumhoory Party (JP).

In a tweet early Saturday, Nahula said she condemned the attack on Shimaz in the strongest terms.

“The different attempts to influence the case as it is being investigated and the rumors being circulated with reference to me and my family are ugly acts of slander,” she said. “I will not backdown from whatever must be done to stop corruption.”

ޓްރާންސްޕޯޓް މިނިސްޓްރީގެ ޑެޕިއުޓީ މިނިސްޓަރ ޝިމާޒް އަލީ އަށް ދިން ހަމަލާ ހަރުކަށި އިބާރާތުން ކުއްވެރި ކުރަން. މައްސަލަތައް ބަލަމުންދާ ދަނޑިވަޅުގައި މިކަމަށް އެކި ގޮތްގޮތުން ނުފޫޒު ފޯރުވަން މަސައްކަތްކޮށް، (1/2).

— Aishath Nahula (@aishath_nahula) November 18, 2022

ACC had sought charges of misuse of official authority to confer an undue advantage against Shimaz and the other Transport Ministry officials.

However, the case was dropped by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) citing lack of evidence.