A legal representative from the Attorney General’s (AG) Office had revealed that their office called for bids to develop an airport in Maafaru of Noonu Atoll was done so by ‘mistake’, claims lawyer Haneefa Khalidh.

Haneefa, who had previously been the Director of Legal Affairs for the Elections Commission, told RaajjeMV that the AG’s Office said this in a hearing held over Milleninium Capital Investment’s operator, who was given the project to develop the airport in 2015, contesting if the project can be taken back by the government.

She said that the legal representative had not been aware of any bid announcements, and had taken time to check with the AG’s Office, before announcing that the project was placed on bid again by mistake.

Haneefa further said that Millenium Capital Invetment’s owner, Hamid Ismail’s rights as a business owner is being hindered due to the fact that his properties and holdings have been seized by the government with no apparent remuneration.

The Anti-Corruption Commission began investigating Millenium Capital Investment after reports surfaced that the company was given 13 hectares of additional land to construct the airport.

The project was assigned to Millenium Capital Investment by former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, a close associate of Hamid’s, who has been sentenced to imprisonment over corruption allegations involving the state-operated MMPRC.

The MVR 17-million project’s delay had caused residents of Maafaru island to protest last year, even holding strikes.