Ex-Maldive Gas Chief Maumoon Cleared of Five Counts as Prosecutors Plan Appeal
The former Managing Director of Maldive Gas, Abdulla Maumoon. | Photo: Maldive Gas
A former managing director of Maldives Gas, Abdullah Maumoon, has been acquitted of five counts of bribery by a criminal court judge, while prosecutors said they intend to challenge the ruling in the High Court.
Maumoon is currently serving a prison sentence of 12 years, nine months and 18 days after being convicted in September last year on two bribery charges. He had faced seven counts in total, relating to alleged payments made in 2016 and 2017 while he led the state-linked Maldive Gas during the former Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) administration.
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In today’s decision, the judge ruled that the “pillars” of the prosecution’s case had not been proved on the five remaining counts. The judge found it was not established that the money in question entered Maumoon’s own account in the manner presented by prosecutors.
މޯލްޑިވް ގޭސްގެ ކުރީގެ މެނޭޖިންގ ޑިރެކްޓަރ ޢަބްދުالله މައުމޫންގެ މައްޗަށް ކޮށްފައިވާ ރިޝްވަތު ހިފުމުގެ 7 ދަޢުވާގެ ތެރެއިން 5 ދަޢުވާ ސާބިތުނުވާކަމަށް ނިންމި ނިންމުން އިސްތިއުނާފުކުރުމަށް ޤަޞްދުކުރުން
އިތުރަށް ވިދާޅުވުމަށް: https://t.co/RsSCpigTRm— Prosecutor General’s Office (@PGO_MV) January 22, 2026
The allegations covered a series of transfers and deposits, including: USD 29,941.50 to Maumoon’s Bank of Maldives (BML) account on April 2016; deposits in June 2016 of USD 49,921.50 to a Bank of Ceylon account and USD 12,201.50 to an account belonging to his company, Mon Arc Pvt Ltd; USD 49,949.50 sent on August 2016 to a BML account linked to Mon Arch Private Limited; USD 24,930 deposited on April 2017 to an account under I Developers Private Limited; and transfers in 2017 of USD 46,555 and USD 49,955 to Maldives Islamic Bank accounts linked to Maumoon and Monarch Private Limited.
A seventh allegation involved USD 34,950 transferred in October 2017 to an account held by Maumoon’s half-brother, Ahmed Hameed.
The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) today said in a statement that, based on the court’s reasoning for dismissing the five counts, it believed the decision was made “without adequate consideration” of the evidence submitted and in violation of judicial and legal principles. The PGO said it intends to appeal the acquittals in the High Court.
Maumoon, a close associate of former president Abdulla Yameen during the PPM era, previously travelled abroad after PPM loss in the 2023 election while the Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the allegations. He was indicted in early 2024 and later returned to the Maldives, after which he was barred from leaving the country, according to the account provided by prosecutors and investigators.
