ACC case filed accusing Thinadhoo Mayor of corruption

A case has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) accusing Thinadhoo City Mayor Saud Ali committed an act of corruption in the construction of a monument at the city’s harbor.

The case was filed by a lawmaker.

It alleges that the bid for the construction of the monument was awarded to Vaattey Investment without their knowledge while the work had actually been carried out by Thinadhoo City Council staff.

In a letter to the ACC, the lawmaker outlined receiving information that the Council staff had been assigned to carry out work on a plot of land next to the flats developed in the city, which is owned by Thinadhoo City Council. However, the Council was invoiced for the work under the name of Vatteyy Investment, without any documentation from the company, and the payment was made to the account of another individual.

It was specified that the payment was transferred from the Council’s BML account to an account at BML under the name Shomasa Investment: a company registered with the Economic Ministry under Saud’s name.

Documents, including the payment slip to Shomasa Investment and records related to Saud’s ownership of the company, were submitted to the ACC along with the letter.

As such, the lawmaker requested ACC to investigate the case.

Notably, Thinadhoo’s city status has been challenged recently, with a motion being filed with the Parliament over the matter. It alleges that Thinadhoo was granted city-status unlawfully.