The Prosecutor General's Office (PG) has confirmed that more than two months have passed since they referred the COVID-19 corruption case involving three former heads of Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) back to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The case concerns allegations of sourcing reagents for the hospital’s laboratory from a private company in which the accused had business interests.
The ACC has recommended charges against former IGMH CEO Ibrahim Saleem (Bandhu Saleem), former head of the IGMH laboratory Dr. Milza Abdul Muhsin, and Dr. Ali Abdulla Latheef, the chairman of the hospital’s procurement committee at the time. They face accusations of abusing their official positions.
The ACC alleges that RMLS Laboratory Services illicitly benefited from the procurement. At a press conference on 20 August, the ACC disclosed that Dr. Ali Latheef was also suspected of money laundering via the company, with his name forwarded to the police for further investigation.
When contacted by Adhadhu, Prosecutor General’s Office spokesperson Ahmed Shafeeu stated that the ACC initially submitted the case to the PG Office in August. However, it was referred back to the ACC on September 2 for further clarification, he said.
Following this, Adhadhu made several attempts last week to obtain updates from the ACC regarding the case’s progress. By week’s end, the ACC had not provided a clear response. A media official promised to call back with updates but did not follow up.
Dr. Ali Latheef, who faces the most serious allegations in the case, served on the IGMH Medical Executive Committee, the Technical Advisory Committee, and the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group, which oversaw mandatory PCR testing decisions.
At the time of the alleged misconduct, rumours circulated that Dr. Latheef had a vested interest in the implicated company. Both he and IGMH denied the accusations. According to the Economic Ministry’s business portal, RMLS Laboratory is operated by Pioneer Maldives, whose shareholders are Ikuleel Shareef and Ibrahim Saeed Mohamed.
Pioneer Maldives was established in October 2020 during the pandemic, with RMLS Laboratory being its sole business. In April 2021, less than a year after its inception, the company leased Gaafu Dhaalu Kan’dahagalaa island for resort development, paying a lease acquisition cost of USD 2.8 million and contributing USD 150,000 to the Tourism Training Fund.
More than three years have passed since the lease, but satellite imagery shows no signs of resort development on the island.
