Azima: I was unable to repay loan because MDP administration hindered livelihood

Former attorney general Azima Shakoor says she was unable to repay the MVR 3 million loan she took from the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) because the criminal case brought against her by the previous administration hindered her ability to earn a living by practicing law.

She made the remark in a statement on Tuesday, after the court ordered her to pay MVR 4 million in outstanding loan payments and penalties.

Azima said that she had made regular payments for the loan when she was able to earn a living. But that the case brought against her by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration hindered her livelihood.

“With that charge, I faced difficulties in earning a living from what I studied – being an attorney. It also closed the door on the job opportunity I got from abroad,” she said.

Azima said she had a hard time repaying the loan through the alternative work she did to earn a living while jobless during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During a PPM-PNC campaign event for the Male’ City Council upcoming elections on Tuesday night, Azima, who is contesting for Male’ Mayor, described ruling against her as “personal” in nature.

She said that she was a single mother dependent on herself to earn a living, and that she hadn’t taken anything more than the government salary she was paid during the last three administrations.

“I served powerful state positions. But there isn’t a single case against me at the ACC. There’s not a single corruption case against me. I am here today because of the loyalty I showed to this country back then,” she said.

Azima said that she had applied to restructure the loan. And had engaged in talks with the MIB last month.

‘Given that this ruling came with the talks in progress, I, after consulting with my lawyers, have decided to review and appeal the ruling,” she said.

Court documents show Azima was issued a loan of MVR 3,186,369.23, for which she put down an apartment at the Platinum Residence in Hulhumale’ as collateral.

The court found Azima failed to make regular payments for the loan as agreed, and ordered her to pay MVR 4,156,355.32 in outstanding loan payments and penalties to the MIB within the next six months.

The six months end on July 2.

The ruling was issued against Azima in absentia.

The ruling will not affect her candidacy for the mayoral election.

In 2019, Azima was charged with providing false statements to a state institution and facilitating money laundering.

The charges were pressed against her based on the allegation she gave false statements to the ACC in the money laundering case against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom – her client at the time.