Former MP of Dhiggaru Constituency and former Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Nazim has claimed that the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal was masterminded by former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom to pay off his campaign debts.
Ahmed Nazim, who was one of former President Abdulla Yameen’s closest friends was presented as the prosecution’s witness in the criminal case against former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom for money laundering and bribery in connection to V. Aarah.
During the testimony, Nazim told the court that the former President was well aware of the acts of corruption made through MMPRC funds by Former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb and his allies. Nazim added that the former President was well aware of the acts of corruption made through MMPRC funds by former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb and his allies.
Nazim further told the court that accounts to which these funds were embezzled included those of businessmen from whom Adeeb and former President Yameen had loaned money to fund the 2013 Presidential Election campaign. He also revealed that he informed former President Yameen of this case on April 28, 2014 and gave the detailed documents the following day.
Nazim told the court yesterday that he no longer has any relationship with Yameen following his sentencing in 2015. Nazim was repeatedly asked by the defense if he had any grudges against Yameen to give the testimony in court, which he denied.
Ahmed Nazim was handed a 25-year jail sentence for corruption in the case of using “paper companies” to win bids for the procurement of 220 harbor lights, sound systems for mosques and an additional 15,000 flags in April, 2015. However, the Supreme Court of Maldives nullified the 25-year jail sentence in December 2018.
Former President Yameen is charged with money laundering and accepting a bribe of USD 1 million from former MP of Felidhoo Constituency Yusuf Naeem over the lease of V. Aarah for tourism development.
