The Mayor of Thinadhoo City, Saud Ali, has asserted that the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) will fail to secure the city’s mayoral seat, even if he is convicted of allegedly providing false information to government agencies during the process of upgrading Thinadhoo to city status.
Speaking on Adhadhu’s "Rashu Note" program, Saud characterized the charges against him as politically motivated. He further noted that any verdict aimed at removing him would trigger legal complications regarding the procedure for holding a by-election to elect a new council for Thinadhoo.
"The PNC will not get [the mayoralty]. I am saying this very clearly—they will not get it. Furthermore, a by-election is a long way off; there is no grounds to even discuss one. For a by-election to be held, they would first have to deliver a political verdict against me to achieve their objectives. If they then proceed with a by-election, they are effectively conceding that Thinadhoo is indeed a city," Saud said.
"So, would this by-election be for a City Council or a private Island Council? Where exactly would they hold it? This will lead to numerous legal challenges."
Saud argued that given how two successive administrations handled the population verification process, it is impossible to hold him solely accountable without implicating others involved in the transition.
Highlighting the political nature of the prosecution, Saud claimed the charges were orchestrated by the government and two PNC members of parliament who are unable to "stomach" the fact that the ruling party failed to win the Thinadhoo mayoral seat through the ballot box.
The charges against Saud involve allegations of submitting an unverified list to the Local Government Authority (LGA) and providing false information to the police. If convicted on both counts, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to two years.
The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) stated that on September 4, 2022, Saud submitted a fraudulent list to the LGA alongside a letter claiming Thinadhoo’s population had reached the 10,000-person threshold required for city status. The PG Office alleged the list included deceased individuals and data that could not be verified.
According to the PG Office, when the LGA requested a verified list including ID card numbers for all residents, Saud submitted a second list on August 13, 2023. This document allegedly included individuals registered to other islands and repeated names to falsely claim a total population of 10,500.
Furthermore, the PG Office alleged that during the police investigation into the suspected population fraud, Saud failed to provide the lists sent to government agencies when requested. The office further claimed that Saud lied to investigators by stating that no records of that information existed.
Saud was previously suspended last year ahead of the local council elections. At that time, he maintained that his suspension was also a politically motivated move.
