Police conducted raids on three residences and seized electronic equipment last night as part of an investigation that began a year ago, into alleged corruption involving the Road Development Corporation (RDC), regarding the alleged transfer of funds from an RDC bank account into personal accounts.

Assistant Police Commissioner and Police Spokesperson Ahmed Shifan stated that the raids targeted the residence of former RDC Managing Director Moosa Ali Manik (Mookey), and two properties belonging to former Chief Financial Officer Yasir Hassan. Electronic devices were confiscated to aid the investigation.

The RDC corruption case, filed with the police in September 2022, involves the alleged transfer of MVR 14 million from an RDC account to personal accounts belonging to three individuals. Police searched the RDC offices on 14 November 2023, shortly after the presidential election, to collect evidence for the case.

According to police, the searches were carried out under a court order at 1:30 a.m last night. This is amid widespread public allegations of corruption and fraud by the current administration as well.

The properties searched included an apartment in G. Dhilkashge where Mookey resides, two properties linked to Yasir Hassan, and the Hulhumale’ apartment of Mookey’s ex-wife. Items seized included Mookey’s phone, a laptop from his ex-wife’s apartment, and both a phone and a laptop from Yasir’s properties.

Mookey has previously claimed that the funds in question were distributed as petty cash for company projects in island areas. He stated that MVR 10,000 per month was allocated as petty cash per site, which was deposited into the accounts of employees working on-site.