Misuse of Maldives Presidential Power & Privilege by Yameen & First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim!!!

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has stated that investigations have revealed that Abu Dhabi’s association had made the donation of USD 24,000 (MVR 370,080) to Waqf Fund on condition that half of it (MVR 185,040) be given to the Sadaqat Foundation, owned by the first lady and wife of President Yameen, Fathimath Ibrahim. 

The Maldives graft watchdog has now declared that the Waqf Fund, managed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, has not handed over its promised share of the donation made by a private Ab Dhabi association to the Sadaqat Foundation. According to the ACC, the Islamic Ministry had cancelled its letter to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury requesting to deposit the amount for Sadaqat Foundation. The private association of Abu Dhabi had made the donation to aid Waqf Fund in conducting various religious programs in mosques during the last Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 

The commission probed the matter in the wake of a case filed by a private individual stating that Waqf Fund had transferred the amount as per the agreement. 

Similar controvercies involving the NGO Sadaqat Foundation owned by, the first lady and wife of President Yameen, Fathimath Ibrahim had sparked earlier also when on June 2016 First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim has sparked a firestorm of criticism after it emerged that a charity organization she founded (Sadagat Foundation),was distributing packets of dates gifted by Saudi Arabia to the people of the Maldives in its name.

The packets were being handed out at breakfasts organized by the Sadagat Foundation with labels stating, “With the best wishes of the Sadagat Foundation.” The plastic cover of the packet said that it was a gift from the government of the custodian of the two holy mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. 

Saudi Arabia donated around 50 tonnes of dates to the Maldives on Ramadan. Finance ministry was ordered by President Yameen to handover some ten tonnes of dates to the presidential palace. Following the order, the 500 boxes of dates were transported to a campaign office run by the first lady Fathimath Ibrahim in Malé on a truck owned by the Maldives Road Development Corporation . The embassy of Saudi Arabia in Malé has earlier spoken out in defense of the first lady of the Maldives, who has been accused of corruption repeatedly involving her NGO Sadagat Foundation, when it emerged that an NGO she founded was distributing dates gifted by the kingdom in its name. 

The Saudis defence of Fathimath could “taint the high regard” the Maldivian people have for the kingdom. This reeks of misuse of power and privilege. Saudi government should be outraged rather than trying to cover up these shameful actions. Corruption, whether it is siphoning of state funds for personal use, money laundering, or seemingly as petty as stealing thefts, should not be condoned. 

 

President Abdulla Yameen and his wife are also under fire over a historic corruption scandal involving the theft of some US$80million from state coffers. Independent MP Ahmed Mahloof was summoned to the police headquarters in early February over claims that there are millions of dollars in the first couple’s private bank accounts. 

 President Yameen and the first lady Fathimath Ibrahim, with all due respect, are working towards siphoning off millions of dollars from Maldives National Funds, showing no concern towards development and prosperity of Maldives as a nation. The first couple has devised new and innovative ways to divert International funds and donations for Maldives towards their own personal accounts. With all the state machinery, including the ACC and Judiciary, flooded with unqualified Yameen loyalist, the couple is having a free hand to rob Maldives of its finances and dignity as a independent and self-sufficient nation.