The state has informed the Criminal Court that the MMPRC embezzlement scandal was carried out under the direct instructions of former President Abdulla Yameen.
The prosecution made these remarks during yesterday's hearing for the closing statements in the case involving the lease of Raa Fuggiri. Yameen is accused of accepting $1.1 million in bribes and laundering the funds during the transaction.
Presenting the closing statement, State Prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu asserted that the Fuggiri lease was a scheme orchestrated by Yameen to secure illicit funds.
To support this claim, the prosecutor noted that it was Yameen who appointed Ahmed Adeeb—who has since been convicted for his role in the MMPRC scandal—as Tourism Minister. He further highlighted that Yameen promoted Adeeb to the Vice Presidency even after corruption allegations had surfaced against him.
The prosecution added that the authority to lease islands for tourism was transferred to the MMPRC, and that Adeeb retained full responsibility for the Tourism Ministry's functions even after his appointment as Vice President.
Shafeeu stated that the Fuggiri case is a single component of the broader MMPRC corruption scandal, alleging it was executed to generate funds for Yameen through the abuse of his official position.
Yesterday’s hearing was cut short at the request of Yameen’s legal team. The remaining portion of the closing statements is scheduled to proceed today.
