Police raid national football stadium

The police raided the national football stadium on Sunday, as part of an ongoing investigation.

Investigators searched a Football Association of Maldives (FAM) store room at the stadium, in the Galolhu district of Male’ City, on Sunday morning.

According to the police, the raid was conducted under court warrant, to collect evidence for an ongoing investigation.

 While the police did not specify the nature of the investigation, it came with FAM’s former president, Bassam Adeel Jaleel, on trial for embezzlement and money laundering, after an investigation uncovered that he stole USD 10,000 in funds issued by FIFA for personal use.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the investigation found that Bassam used the funds to purchase properties, cover the expenses of businesses registered to his name, manage his family’s expenses, and fund overseas trips.

The court has imposed a travel ban on him, pending the outcome of the trial.

Bassam also faces more charges as the police investigate additional cases related to corruption within the FAM, including the embezzlement of USD 1.9 million in funds during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

The police launched the investigation into the FAM on October 22, 2023, on special orders from the prosecutor general.