A resolution proposed by MP Mohamed Musthafa calling for an official investigation into an alleged US$800 million worth of illegal oil trade involving former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and MP Abdulla Yameen was sent to committee today.
The resolution was approved 52-11 and sent to the national security committee for further review.
In his closing statement, MP Musthafa of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said that MP Yameen’s conceding during the debate last month that US$800 million worth of trade in oil did take place had “fulfilled the main purpose of my resolution.”
MP Yameen, who was chairman of the State Trading Organisation (STO) and long-serving Trade Minister under the previous government, however contended that the sale of oil to Burma was not illegal.
“This was done by forming a company in a country where such matters are most closely monitored,” he said. “That company is audited by STO auditors. An illegal business would not be allowed to operate in Singapore. This was not a secret trade.”
Musthafa however argued that Burma was under UN embargo at the time and “no ship registered at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) could unload cargo at a [Burmese] port.”
As the Maldives was a member of IMO, said Musthafa, trading by sea with Burma would have been a violation of the organisation’s laws.
Musthafa added that the US Treasury Department had labelled one of the Burmese officials involved in the oil trade with STO as “the godfather of heroin.”
“The port of discharge is stated as Maldives,” he continued. “The goods are loaded at Singapore for Maldives, but at sea the ship is diverted to the Burma port.”
Musthafa alleged that there was “serious shipping fraud” involved in the trade.
“The ship owner wants the cargo and he’s told that he’ll have it only when he agrees to a clause in the agreement,” he explained. “The boat operator will say yes because he wants the cargo. The chart agreement states he would have to help ‘a sweet bill of lading.'”
Over 30 shipments went to Burma in 2004 alone, Musthafa claimed, adding that UN reports suggested that US$80 million worth of illegal oil trade at sea occurred daily, involving “corrupt government officials.”
Musthafa challenged Yameen to present 12 kinds of documents to the government to prove his innocence, including shipping documents, bank documents such as LCs (line of credit), board of resolution for forming MOCOM, documents of business transactions, tax receipts to the Singaporean government, purchase and sale contracts, bills of exchange submitted to the banks, account statements and logbooks, cargo manifests and bills of lading of the ships.
Musthafa suggested contacting the United Overseas Bank and Standard Chartered Bank to obtain the documents and seeking Interpol assistance for the investigation.
The Presidential Commission did not have the capacity to investigate fraud on such a scale, he said.
Abdulla Haseen, spokesperson of the commission, told local media last week that evidence gathered so far “suggest links between the trade and convicts serving prison sentences.”
Haseen claimed that attempts were being made to obstruct the investigation in the Maldives, “but given that investigations are being conducted abroad there is little chance for obstruction and thus we’re making progress.”
The commission was being assisted by forensic accountancy firm Grant Thornton, British law firm Lawrence Graham LLP, a Singaporean law firm and several other international organisations, he said.
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At least this time Honorable Musthafa has done his homework well. Yameen will not produce the requested documents the only way of getting these documents is through Interpol. That means we have long way to go.
IF "the documents" are incriminating at all.
Also, if the honorable member of parliament refers to the Constitution which the parliament itself considers a labor of love, then I believe that Yaamin, as the accused, does not have to bear the burden of proving himself innocence.
That is, of course, if that silly green book has any meaning for us at all anymore.
This is bu##s#it! Total rubbish. It's simply not true.
Yatumeen and I didn't DRINK that US$ 800mil worth oil well.
Don't trust UN or Interpol. They're all Christians trying to eat loving Maldivian Muslim minds. They're all Zionists.
Just believe what Yatumeen and I say. And believe in what the boys and gals who support us spreads in the cafe's and elsewhere.
This is the holy month of Ramadan, and why should I tell you a lie? Hmmm? And you should all know that I'm a great scholar of Islam who graduated in Egypt.
Yes, in Egypt, where I met my best friends Saddam, Arafath, Mubaarak, and Gaddafi. And they're all Muslim brothers and great leaders of all time.
Our names will be written in gold in the coming generations.
Why are we talking about an oil trade? Yameen and the Burmese 'godfather of heroin' doing business just at the time Male's streets become awash with Burmese brown sugar?!!
Oil may have been going to Burma, but I bet something else was going from Burma to Maldives.
Why do I get this feeling that this a Musthafa - Yaamin combined act?
@ Golhaaboa
You speak like yaamyn. 🙂
yeah, in the meantime, the current government continues with selling this country off left, right and centre, writing off the money AAA and other resorts owe the nation, realeasing criminals, etc etc
you cant fool all the people all the time
I will never believe, Kaamineege Two boys could pull of 800 million dollars worth of business with those crooks in Burmer, let alone rob that amount.
Those two moron lost a damn election with all this money while they had all the power, one can possibly have on earth, no way I will believe that, their brains has no such capacity.
Thank you Musthafa
until yesterday, I was not certain of this corruption but after listening to Musthafas' closing statement on the debate now I am 99% sure that this illegal and fraudulent deal has occurred and millions of public money has been misused
Mustafa cum Yaamin combined act! heh! heh!
What a classic combination! heh! heh!
One and Only Honourable, Thimarafushee Mustafa! hope! hope!
I dont this many people understand that, this resolution (garaaru) will see to the end of Yameen!. So guys don't underestimate this resolution, Because this will give power to arrest and investigate the case to the fullest potential of the police without any one to get in the way. And insha allah justice will be served.
And i personally want to thank MP.Musthafa for this, on behalf of the people of the country.
In commordity trading switch BL is a common practice. "Sweat Bills of Lading" something new in Shipping terms I guess. How and with what capacity oil traded with Burma I shall leave it to the investigation.
Transferrable Letter of Credits, destination port, Bill of Lading, bill of exchange are sensitive terms in cargo transportations. If you manipulate, you can earn a lot of money by misleading the suppliers.
@Rocket.....Golhaabo was not trying to speak like yaamin...he was tryin to speak like golhaabo...wait a minute, he's not rying to talk like golhaabo he IS golhaabo ...LOL..
AND YEAH AT THAT TIME MALDIVES WAS FLOODED WITH BURMESE HEROIN.....SOO TIT FOR TAT!!! YAAAMIN GETS A DEAL TO SELL SOME OIL(CAKE) IN THE BLACK MARKET.... AND HE GOT HEROIN(ICING & CHERRY), PROBABLY A LOT CHEAPER AND GUESS WHAT HE DOES WITH ALL THAT HEROIN!!! ILL LEAVE IT TO YOUR IMAGINATION!!! SO ACTUALLY HAD THE CAKE WITH THE ICING AND CHERRY ON TOP!!! F**KING GREEDY A** POLITICIANS ARE GONNA BE THE DEATH OF US!!!
@ scooby
Ha ha.
You are right, "he’s not rying to talk like golhaabo he IS golhaabo."
But comming to think of it, Golhaaboa will never speak like that. Its just not the way he speaks.
That particular comment reminded me of yaamyn. The only "other person" who speaks like that, that I "know" is John. 🙂
Look here all ya guys...n gals too 😀
Many things like this has passed our eyes and ears in the past few years..The biggest fraud was noted on the commission report which came out after maumoom lost his power. We read so much about so much of his and his Frnds & familys loot on the nation which ws presented with facts and un-explainable reasons.
Can any of u tell me what happnd afterwards? it was same like now..U n Me had a lot to say and apparently, maldivian politicians and law keepers are not very good at action. So brag on fellas. This will be another chapter in "more to say maldives today"