MDP Alleges Politically Motivated Prosecution Over Gedhoruveriya Project

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has accused the government led by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, of weaponising the judicial process for political ends, alleging that the Gedhoruveriya housing scheme is being used as a justification for targeted prosecution.

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The MDP stated that after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted a high-profile case to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), recommending charges against former State Minister Akram Kamaluddin and three other senior officials from the previous administration. The charges relate to alleged misconduct in the initial phase of the Gedhoruveriya housing project.

ނޫސްބަޔާން: ގެދޮރުވެރިޔާ ސްކީމު ބޭނުންކޮށްގެން ސިޔާސީ ގޮތުން ދައުވާ އުފުލުން ކުށްވެރި ކުރުން pic.twitter.com/D9tO609XeS— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) June 3, 2025

According to the ACC, the joint investigation with the Maldives Police Service found that Akram and others had abused their official positions to unfairly benefit certain individuals in the first round of housing allocations under the MDP government. The ACC has asked the PGO to prosecute the accused under Section 513(b) of the Penal Code, which pertains to the misuse of official authority for unjust gain.

The other individuals named in the case are:

• Mohamed Arif – Former Senior Executive at the Ministry
• Shiruam Waheed – Former Senior Executive at the Ministry
• Ahmed Vishan Naseem – Former Director General at the Ministry

In its response, the MDP said that the government’s accusations lacked substance and were part of a broader strategy to discredit the previous administration. The party noted that despite the allegations, the current government has ultimately decided to allocate flats based on the same list prepared during the MDP’s tenure.

“It is clear that these accusations are politically motivated. For over a year and a half, the government has delayed the handover of flats using various agencies, only to now revert to the same recipient list. This confirms the insincerity behind these claims,” the MDP said in the statement which was released in Dhivehi language.

The party also accused the ACC of acting on the direct instructions of President Dr Muizzu and claimed the Commission had disregarded established legal procedures.

Highlighting the legal battle involving Akram, the MDP said the government’s repeated efforts to withhold his passport—even after a High Court ruling deemed the initial seizure illegal—were aimed at silencing dissent. “This is nothing more than an attempt to suppress those who speak out against the government’s misconduct,” the statement added.

Akram has publicly denied the allegations on multiple occasions, asserting that the housing allocations were managed within legal and procedural frameworks.

Nevertheless, the ACC insists its investigation uncovered manipulation of the point-based system used to determine eligibility, resulting in the unjust inclusion of certain individuals.

After coming to power, the current government formed a committee to review the initial list of 4,000 flat recipients. A revised list was published earlier this year, removing a significant number of names from the MDP-era allocation. This decision triggered public criticism and backlash from political groups.

Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib later assured the public that a new and corrected list would soon be released. He stated that the government’s aim was not to remove all names from the original list, but to exclude only those who were found to be ineligible based on fair and transparent criteria.

The MDP, however, said the delay in distributing the flats is a deliberate tactic aimed at leveraging the housing scheme to influence the upcoming council elections.

The MDP concluded its statement by accusing the government of undermining the judiciary, citing the recent dismissal of Supreme Court justices. “This proves that justice is no longer guaranteed in the Maldives, and the people will rise to resist this injustice,” the statement warned.