ACC’s Salam and Thoha face severe corruption allegations

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s vice president Abdul Salam and member Thoha Mohamed are facing severe corruption allegations.

No-confidence motions were submitted against both Salam and Thoha on November 12^th accusing both individuals of failure to fulfill their responsibilities and abusing their power.

Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee, on Sunday, voted in favor of dismissing both Salam and Thoha after making severe allegations against them.

The Committee’s Chairperson, Maafushi MP Hussain Riza Adam presented the Committee’s report at Monday’s parliamentary sitting.

As per the report, both Salam and Thoha have committed severe acts of corruption while they held the posts.

Allegations against ACC’s Vice President Salam

• Playing a crucial role in filing the case involving a former attorney general despite sufficient evidence to press charges after declaring otherwise
• Obstructing the investigation into ‘Binveriya’ housing scheme over the possibility of harming a specific political party and paving the way to destroy evidence in the case
• Forming a forensic section despite the lack of work assigned to the section, appointing an individual with close links as the head of the section and failing to undertake efforts to develop the section
• Influencing other members to conclude cases as desired and prioritizing personal interests when concluding cases
• Undue influence in the Commission's undertakings 

Allegations against ACC’s member Thoha

• Influence in the withdrawal of an appeal filed with High Court of an Employment Tribunal ruling on the dismissal of an ACC employee and disbursing over MVR 200,000 as damages contradictory to counsel rendered by the Commission’s legal team
• Playing a crucial role in filing the case involving a former attorney general despite sufficient evidence to press charges after declaring otherwise
• Being included as an attorney of a law firm despite ACC members being barred from employment in another post 

Notably, a floor vote was slated at Monday’s sitting to make the final decision regarding the dismissal of Salam and Thoha. However, Sun has learned that both individuals resigned from their posts ahead of the vote.