Malé, Maldives – Parliament has approved a move to initiate a criminal investigation into former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and several key figures from his administration over alleged misuse of state funds. The decision comes after scrutiny of dispute settlements authorized by a now-defunct committee established during Solih’s tenure.
On Thursday, lawmakers voted in favor of a motion originally passed by the parliamentary finance committee. The committee recommended advising the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate Solih, former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail, and former Minister at the President’s Office Ali Shiyam. If the inquiry finds sufficient evidence, charges could be filed against the trio.
According to the committee, all three have been accused of misappropriating state assets and funds. The report claims these actions were in direct violation of the constitutional and legal responsibilities they held as high-ranking state officials.
Additionally, the parliamentary committee concluded that all settlement agreements signed between 2019 and 2023 under the contested arrangement are void from the outset. The motion calls on authorities to take legal steps to invalidate these agreements and mandates an investigation into any compensation issued unlawfully. Relevant agencies, including the Attorney General’s Office, have been notified to recover such funds.
A total of 55 members backed the committee’s motion during Thursday’s parliamentary session.
The settlement committee under scrutiny was formed in 2022 as per the Guideline for Resolution of Disputes Relating to Agreements between the Government and Private Parties. However, current President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu disbanded the committee last November following legal advice that the guideline lacked proper statutory authority.
Before its dissolution, the committee had approved payments and asset transfers valued at millions of U.S. dollars. These included decisions to compensate various parties with a total of USD 14.6 million by November 17, 2023, and an estimated USD 64.8 million worth of additional funds and assets over time. As the investigation moves forward, authorities are expected to scrutinize these transactions and determine whether illegal activities took place.