Ahead of the parliamentary elections in the Maldives, opposition parties are calling for an investigation and the impeachment of President Mohamed Muizzu following the emergence of a leaked report alleging corruption from 2018, a charge he has denied.
The atmosphere ahead of Sunday’s Majlis elections has been tense due to the exchange of accusations between the main opposition, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC).
According to local media reports, the political turmoil began on Monday when an anonymous user under the name ‘Hassan Kurusee’ shared leaked intelligence reports on social media.
These reports, purportedly prepared by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Maldives Monetary Authority and the Maldives Police Service, allegedly implicated President Muizzu in corrupt activities.
Reports from around 2018 allege irregularities in money transfers to President Muizzu’s personal bank account, citing 10 red flag indicators of financial misconduct, including links to politically exposed persons and embezzlement, as per mvrepublic.com.
Call for Accountability: Opposition Demands Probe into Corruption Allegations Against Maldives President Muizzu
The allegations sparked a political uproar, prompting various reactions across social media platforms.
While news outlets proceeded cautiously, opposition parties like the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and People’s National Front (PNF) called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed joined the chorus, advocating for Muizzu’s impeachment in light of the leaked intelligence reports.
On his social media platform, Jameel shared these documents, underscoring the importance of accountability in governance.
Additionally, Jameel, a prominent member of the Progressive Party of Maldives, accused President Muizzu of extensive corruption related to his flagship Ras Male development project and alleged excessive expenditure on public relations.
He urged President Muizzu to cooperate with independent investigations into these claims, as reported by mvrepublic.com.
According to the news portal, this marks the first instance of a leaked FIU report, with no official confirmation or response from government bodies regarding the reports’ legitimacy or the allegations.
Stand of President Muizzu Regarding the Corruption Allegations
In response to the corruption accusations, President Muizzu issued a late-night statement on Tuesday, asserting that the opposition’s attempts to implicate him are baseless.
He accused the opposition of leaking the reports out of desperation and emphasized that similar allegations had surfaced during his mayoral and presidential campaigns, with no substance found.
Muizzu reiterated his commitment to upholding people’s rights and expressed confidence that the allegations would not hold ground.
The President’s remarks, as detailed by Atoll Times, highlighted his steadfast defense, stating that no wrongdoing had occurred during his tenure.
He questioned the timing of the allegations, noting that if any misconduct had transpired during the previous opposition government’s term, it would have been exposed.
Despite calls from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and People’s National Front (PNF) for government agencies to investigate the allegations, no official response has been provided by investigative authorities, as reported by Adhadhu.com.
With 368 candidates vying for 93 parliamentary seats in the upcoming April 21 elections, the outcome will determine the opposition’s ability to take action against President Muizzu, who assumed office in November of last year.
