Prosecutor General (PG) Uz Abbas Shareef has called on the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to launch a criminal investigation into the substantial compensation payments made to various individuals during the previous administration.

This follows a thorough examination of the matter by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee.

The committee’s review of compensation payments made by the state between 2019 and 2023 led it to conclude that the agreements signed during this period were void ab initio. It further authorised all necessary legal action to invalidate these agreements, which prompted the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to take action.

According to the PGO, the committee's report accused several high-ranking officials of the previous government of embezzling state property and funds, in clear violation of their constitutional and legal obligations. These individuals are accused of attempting to allocate public funds and assets to people other than their rightful recipients. According to the report, a group of public servants violated their official duties and engaged in actions that could have harmed the state.

In light of these findings, the Prosecutor General believes the allegations warrant a criminal investigation under the mandate of the ACC.

On December 17, the PG Uz Abbas Shareef formally requested that the ACC initiate such an investigation. Alongside this, the Prosecutor General has called for the investigation to be expedited, with regular updates and consultations with the PGO as the inquiry progresses.

The investigation is further supported by a motion passed by the Parliament on December 12. The motion, put forward by the finance committee, advises the Prosecutor General’s Office to file charges against former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail, and former Minister at the President’s Office Ali Shiyam, should they be found complicit in the settlement of disputes and disbursement of funds by the settlement committee.

Prior to the dissolution of the settlement committee, decisions had been made to compensate various parties with USD 14.6 million by November 17, 2023. In addition, the committee is estimated to have approved the allocation of USD 64.8 million worth of assets and funds as compensation.

However, recent developments have led to the invalidation of nine agreements signed by the settlement committee on December 15, halting their implementation and disbursements with immediate effect.