The representing lawyer of former vice president Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor has claimed that his client does not have to settle any amounts to the state.
Maldives government on Tuesday has asked jailed former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor to pay MVR74 million (USD4.8 million) over the lease of a prominent plot in the capital Male.
In a letter sent by the finance minister on March 28, Adheeb was asked to pay the figure to the government within seven days of receiving the letter.
The letter detailed that the former Nasandhura Palace Hotel plot lease with Galaxy Enterprises in 2010 had not been extended. Adheeb as the then tourism minister had negotiated a deal between the state tourism promotion company and NPH Investment Pvt Ltd which had held the lease holding rights for another 50 years exempting the fee owed to the government.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in its report into the deal had found that Adheeb had abused his powers as the tourism minister to negotiate the deal for which the state had missed out on MVR74 million in fees to extend the lease, the letter read.
The letter further said Adheeb found liable in the ACC's report must pay the MVR74 million to the government within seven days.
"Failure to do so would force the ministry to forward the case to the Attorney General's (AG) office," the letter warned.
However Moosa Siraj, the advocate representing the former vice president stated that Maldives Supreme Court had not made any specific orders related to it, adding that the finance minister cannot urge his client to make settlements based on a report released by ACC.
Siraj also stressed that the apex court verdict SC-A/26/2012 makes it clear with regards to the state authorities coercing the former vice president to settle the amount; adding Adeeb do not have to comply.
The government had leased the land plot of former Nasandhura and an adjacent plot for fifty years to a company of which president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s brother-in-law Mohamed Manik is a shareholder.
A prominent Chinese firm is developing a city hotel and serviced apartments in the plot.
Adheeb is serving 33 years in prison over two counts of terrorism and corruption including the blast aboard the presidential speedboat which has been now confirmed as a plot to assassinate president Yameen.
