President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has on Thursday established the Commission on State Assets Recovery.
The decision was passed by a Presidential decree, issued following a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.
The decision was announced in a press conference by Attorney General Mohamed Anil.
Anil said the Commission was formed under the rights granted to the President under Clause 115 (o), under advisement from the Cabinet.
The Commission on State Assets Recovery will be chaired by Minister of Home Affairs Azleen Ahmed, State Minister at President’s Office Mohamed Mujthaz, Khadeeja Hussain, Dr. Ibrahim Mahfooz and lawyer Mohamed Saleem.
The main purpose of establishing the Commission on State Assets Recovery is to analyse efforts taken by the institutions to recover State assets highlighted in reports published by the Office of the Auditor General and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The President has granted full authority to the commission to independently carry out its duties, and take action accordingly.
Anil said the Commission will not investigate any new cases but rather the ones listed in the reports issued by Anti-Corruption Commission and Auditor General. He added that the Commission had all powers to summon and question any individual in connection to the cases in the Commission. The Commission also had the power to authorize action via Police and PG.
The Commission has a one-year mandate and will have to submit one a month report to relevant agencies.
A National Inquiry Commission was formed under the administration of the former President Mohamed Nasheed. The Commission was disbanded following Nasheed’s resignation on 7th February 2012. The US$ 800 million fuel case, perpetrated by incumbent President Yameen, was the biggest case the Commission was investigating. Till this date, President Yameen denies involvement in it.
During this administration, the biggest graft was the MVR 1.22 billion of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). Previously, Attorney General said that 80 percent of pilfered funds were abroad. President Yameen’s former Deputy Ahmed Adeeb had implicated Yameen in the graft, stating that 80 percent of the funds were directly handed to the President.
Previously, President Yameen said there were Commissions and Police to investigate graft and that it was not the Government’s mandate to do so.
