Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has on Friday suspended two of its government’s minister over various financial transactions which were conducted with an entity which implicated in a corruption scandal worth $90 million.
According to Reuters news reports, the probe related to a deal leasing tropical islands for the development of a hotel in that area, that already has implicated a former president and other several leading businessmen and politicians.
State minister for infrastructure Akram Kamaludeena and youth minister Ahmed Mahloof both had allegedly accepted that money from SOF Private Limited company which was allegedly used to syphon money from tourism board of the islands, according to a report paged about 800 by the Maldives Anti-corruption commission on Thursday.
In a statement, Mahloof refused wrongdoing, while Kamaludeen said he does respect Solih’s decision to suspend ministers. However, SOF company could not be able to reach for comment.
During the launch of the ruling party’s election campaign on Thursday, Solih said: “We will do everything that this government has to (fight) against corruption. We are ready to do whatever it takes.”
The tropical islands are due to hold parliamentary elections on 6 April.
The ACC investigation has accused former president Abdullah Yameen of accepting alleged payment worth $1 million of government money.