MDP’s chairperson Fayyaz summoned for questioning in ACC probe

Fayyaz Ismail, the chairperson of main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was served with summons by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday for questioning over a settlement awarded to a private contractor back in 2019.

Fayyaz, who served as economic minister during the MDP administration, was told to present himself for questioning to ACC’s headquarters in Male’ at 09:30 am Monday, October 13.

According to the summons, which Fayyaz shared on X, the opposition leader is being investigated over a disproportionate settlement awarded to Swift Engineering in 2019 as compensation for the termination of a government contract.

Swift Engineering is a company that Saudhulla Hilmy, an incumbent parliamentarian from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), has stakes in.

Fayyaz is accused of abusing his authority as a member of the alternate dispute resolution committee which made the decision to provide Swift Engineering with an undue benefit, preclude the state of an advantage, and cause losses to the state.

އޭސީސީގެ ތަހުގީގަކަށް ހާޒިރުވުމުގެ ޗިޓެއް މިއަދު ލިބިއްޖެ. ރަސްމީ ހައިސިއްޔަތު ނަހަމަ ގޮތުގައި ބޭނުންކޮށް ދައުލަތަށް ގެއްލުން ލިބޭ ގޮތަށް އަމަލުކޮށްފައެއް ނޯންނާނެ.

އިންސާފުވެރި ތަހުގީގެއް އޭސީސީން ކުރާނެ އަދި ކުރެވޭނެ ކަމަށް މިއަދު ގަބޫލެއް ނުކުރަން. ފާއިތުވި ދެ އަހަރަކީ… pic.twitter.com/FZom2rrSBP

— Fayyaz Ismail (@faya_i) October 9, 2025

But Fayyaz insists he never abused his power or caused harm to the state.

He also expressed lack of confidence in a free and fair investigation by the ACC.

“The Muizzu administration has completely destroyed the mechanism for accountability of the state over the last two years. It is crystal clear to the Maldivian people how individuals in responsible positions have been following whatever orders given by [President Dr. Mohamed] Muizzu to secure their jobs. The law will catch up to the people conducting biased investigations under political influence,” he wrote on X.

Fayyaz said that President Muizzu’s “cruel and autocratic” rule has served to underscore the need to make constitutional amendments and truly free independent institutions.

“These attempts to intimidate us by using all state institutions as tools will not deter us from our efforts to build a democratic nation and restore fundamental rights to the people, even if you put each and every one of us in jail,” he wrote.

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) had directed the ACC to conduct a criminal investigation against top officials from the previous administration, including former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Fayyaz, and Ali Shiyam, a former Minister at the President’s Office, back in December 2024, over settlement agreements worth around MVR 1.6 billion.