Ziyath pleads not guilty to 15 counts of corruption
Abullah Ziyath, who managed the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, is accused of misappropriating US$23 million (MVR357 million) by leasing 13 uninhabited islands and two lagoons owned by the state.
12 Nov 2017, 9:00 AM
The former boss of the Maldives’ tourism promotion company pleaded not guilty Saturday to 15 charges related to the country’s largest ever corruption scandal.
Abdulla Ziyath, who managed the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, is accused of misappropriating US$23 million (MVR357 million) by leasing 13 uninhabited islands and two lagoons owned by the state.
He told the court that cheques for the missing money were handed over to then-tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb, as directed by the ministry.
Ziyath’s lawyer Ahmed Yameen said the ex-MMPRC boss had been following orders and had not broken any of the organisation’s rules.
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