Parliament OK's probe against Solih, Fayyaz and Shiyam over settlement cases

The Parliament has approved ordering the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) to launch an investigation against former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail and former minister at the President’s Office Ali Shiyam and press charges against the individuals if deemed necessary with respect to cases involving how the former administration had awarded compensation to certain parties.

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee greenlighted issuing the order on Wednesday.

During a floor vote on Thursday, 55 lawmakers voted in favor of issuing the order with just 11 voting against it.

The Parliament also approved to recommend that the agreements signed by the Settlement Committee between 2019 and 2023 be declared void and the order the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to recover the funds to the state if compensation has already been disbursed under the agreement. They also approved to order AGO to recover funds issued in compensation if they have been done so in violation of the Public Finance Act.

The decision was reached over potential suspicions of the illicit use of state funds and property by individuals holding senior government posts, as well as providing undue benefits from said funds and property to third parties.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu dissolved the Settlement Committee incepted during the former administration to award compensation for agreements made between the state and private parties on November 21^st, 2023.

The current administration has previously said it was undertaking efforts to review cases probed by the Committee with the assistance of the AGO.