Tourism firms win legal bids to recover property despite evidence of graft
Two companies involved in the MMPRC scandal have won legal bids to recover an island and a lagoon seized by the Maldivian authorities after an audit report revealed that the state did not receive acquisition fees.
10 Jan 2017, 9:00 AM
Two tourism companies have won landmark legal bids to recover an island and a lagoon seized by the authorities following the exposure of a historic corruption scandal involving the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation.
The civil court ruled in favour of Biznas Maldives in December and Sea House Resorts in November despite evidence that the state did not receive acquisition fees.
Biznas owed US$3million for the island of Hibalhidhoo in Lhaviyani Atoll while Sea House Resorts owed US$1.5million for a sought-after lagoon in Kaafu Atoll.
Both companies are linked to SOF Pvt Ltd, a front used to channel more than US$70million paid to the MMPRC to private accounts.
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