Deputy Speaker of Parliament MP Ahmed Nazim submitted six witnesses in his defence last week at the ongoing corruption trial at the Criminal Court.
The minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) MP is facing multiple counts of conspiracy to defraud the former Atolls Ministry.
Among the witnesses submitted by Nazim at Thursday’s hearing were MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem, who is also facing similar charges of corruption for his role in the alleged scam as director of finance at the now-defunct Ministry of Atolls Development.
The fraudulent purchases of harbour lights, national flags and mosque sound systems were first flagged in an audit report released in early 2009.
Following an investigation into the allegations in the report, Chief Inspector Ismail Atheef said at a press conference in August 2009 that police had uncovered evidence that implicated former Atolls Minister Abdullah Hameed along with MPs Saleem and Nazim in a number of fraudulent transactions.
Police exhibited numerous quotations, agreements, tender documents, receipts, bank statements and forged cheques showing that Nazim received over US$400,000 in the scam.
A hard disk seized during a raid of Nazim’s office in May 2009 allegedly contained copies of forged documents and bogus letterheads.
Police maintained that money was channelled through the scam to Nazim who laundered cash through Namira Engineering and unregistered companies.
Thursday’s hearing meanwhile focused on charges that Nazim used employees of Namira Engineering while he was the company’s Managing Director to submit bids in the name of two companies called Tech Media Service Pvt Ltd and Standard Electric Works Pvt Ltd to provide 220 harbour lights to the Atolls Ministry.
Nazim allegedly received Rf1.9 million after Namira Engineering was awarded the project.
Nazim however presented as witnesses two directors of Tech Media Service and a director of Standard Electric Works to prove that both companies were aware that a bid was submitted in their names.
MP Saleem and a former employee of the Atolls Ministry, Moosa Naeem, was submitted as witnesses to establish that the ministry received the 220 harbour lights.
The prosecution meanwhile presented as evidence the police investigation report, cheques issued by the state and bogus letterheads found during a police raid on Namira Engineering in May 2009.
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Criminals should not be given a chance to give evidence specially when there is conflict of interest.
Nazim is innocent. How can he not be?
With the likes of what's happening in the country these days, Nazim is definitely not guilty.
How about including former Defence Minister in Illiyas Ibrahim, brother in law of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, he might help you as a good witness, he is damn good at lying under oath.
When society is so nasty, the only thing that seems real is the need to be feared, to be achieved by any means necessary. Corruption is human, but poverty, overcorowding, struggle for resource control, all bring out this "beauty" of humanity like NOTHING!Being feared through the control of wealth, through the capacity to have "NULAFA," this seems the only way to be protected from bullying...
Everyone else becomes feared through corruption, through tyranny, you get the chance... Do you take it? We all say no, but 90 percent of us would do take that chance, because the pressure to have some revenge, some power, cannot be overcome completely, corruption is simply seen as acceptable, amorality rules the day...
Nazim is a pawn, do you really think Yamin is going to reward his loyalty?
Nazim, you need to go down, your only redemption will be found through being sorry, returning that which you stole to the people, taking your people's anger... And most importantly, turning your back to Yamin... If you do this, your ppl would one day forgive you after many years of personal trial, you will die in peace, IF you don't... You will die hated by MOST, in personal torment...
And remember next time...keep your undies (jaangiya) inside your trousers in public as well, always helps...
@Ben
"Nazim, you need to go down, your only redemption will be found through being sorry, returning that which you stole to the people, taking your people’s anger..."
I can tell you that redemption will be the last thing on Jangiyaa's mind. He's a totally ruthless individual and has been that way almost his entire life! Just ask the people who got bullied by him.
Taking Jangiyaa down (pardon the pun), will rid our society of a pillar of corruption and evil and I hope this happens soon.
And remind me why is he a MP?