Male: The outgoing strongman president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, faced allegations Tuesday that he received nearly USD 1.5 million in illicit payments just before his surprise election defeat last month.
The allegations that two cash deposits were made into a private account in Yameen’s name came to light after local media reported that the Maldivian Monetary Authority (MMA) had lodged a police complaint.
Yameen’s spokesman Ibrahim Muaz Ali denied any wrongdoing, saying that Yameen maintained a separate account to receive election campaign funding. He did not confirm or deny the amount of any deposits received.
Just before the Maldives’ September 23 election, a corruption watchdog alleged that Yameen accepted lavish gifts from a billionaire developer who was later leased two islands in the paradise archipelago without bidding for them.
Yameen, whose five-year tenure was marked by the jailing of all his key rivals, has denied any involvement in the alleged island-leasing scam, which first came to light in a 2016 investigation by the Al Jazeera television channel.
The main opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who defeated Yameen in last month’s election, has asked him to ensure a smooth transition when he is due to take over on November 17.
