The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) requested the Prosecutor General’s Office to press charges against former State Minister for Housing Akram Kamaluddin and three others for alleged abuse of authority in the awarding of flats under the previous administration’s Gedhoruveriya housing scheme.

The Gedhoruveriya housing scheme, a social housing initiative introduced by the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration, aimed to provide affordable homes to citizens. Under the project, the first 4,000 housing units were constructed in Hulhumalé Phase II by the Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC).

In the final days of the MDP government, a list of recipients for the initial 4,000 flats was made public. However, the list soon became the subject of scrutiny by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) following allegations of corruption and procedural irregularities in the allocation process.

The ACC has since launched a joint investigation with the Maldives Police Service into claims that certain government officials misused their positions to add individuals to the list of beneficiaries unfairly.

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) announced that its investigation had uncovered sufficient evidence to pursue charges against former State Minister for Housing Akram Kamaluddin and three other former senior officials from the Housing Ministry.

The individuals named are:

According to the ACC, the Prosecutor General’s Office has been requested to charge all four individuals under Section 513(b) of the Penal Code for ‘misuse of official authority to confer an undue benefit to another person’. The commission also noted that the suspects remain under investigation and are believed to be involved in additional criminal offenses.