The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office to press corruption charges against three former Malé City councillors in relation to the 2013 night market.
In addition to former councillors Ibrahim Shuja, Ahmed Hameed ‘Fly’, and Ahmed Samah Rasheed, the ACC asked the PG office to press charges against the council’s Assistant Directors Aishath Jumana Mohamed Rasheed and Ahmed Mizhath Naeem.
The three ex-councillors and senior staff are accused of corruption in the awarding of a contract to Go Media Pvt Ltd to manage last year’s night market. The market is held annually before Ramazan, usually on the south eastern side of the capital island.
In a letter to Malé City Mayor Mohamed Shihab – shared with local media – the ACC explained that Go Media Pvt Ltd was registered eight days before the city council’s announcement seeking a party to organise the night market.
However, the council awarded full marks to the company for experience during its bid evaluation process, the ACC revealed.
While the committee that evaluated the proposal determined that Go Media’s team had experience in organising such events, the ACC noted that the company did not submit any documentation as proof of experience.
Moreover, the council’s request for information document did not state that marks would be awarded for experience.
The two assistant directors were on the committee that evaluated the proposal.
Based on its findings, the ACC concluded that the contract was awarded fraudulently for the benefit of a third party.
The ACC also asked the PG office to prosecute Malé City Council Secretary General Mohamed Anwar as the agreement signed with Go Media included provisions that were not included in the council’s announcement.
Of the three ex-councillors facing corruption charges, Shujau and Hameed were elected on Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party tickets in 2011 before defecting to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and he Jumhooree Party, respectively. Former Deputy Mayor Samah was elected on an MDP ticket.
Shujau meanwhile contested in last month’s parliamentary elections as the MDP’s candidate for the Galolhu South constituency, losing to incumbent MP Ahmed Mahloof.
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im sure everyone who voted suja AGAIN for parliament are very proud of themselves. kanfathufoolhah vote pls.
all projects awarded to go media and big by the council (a LOT of projects) are corrupt deals. the last city council was corrupt to the core. demanded cash with no shame at all. if ACC really wanted to bring them down then, they could have easily done it. the biggest crook in there has corruption cases in own business and other personal affairs. but people keep on voting for them. says a lot about the situation we are in now.