Civil Court of the Maldives has ruled that the state is not obliged to pay USD 12 million to Sealife Global Private Limited as settlement.
The ruling was issued at the end of the trial of the charges pressed by Sealife Global to seek a settlement of USD 12 million as part of an agreement signed with the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure on February 26, 2018. The Civil Court ruled that the housing ministry had notified Sealife Global on the termination of the settlement agreement in March 2018. It also noted the investigation by the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery found that the expenses undertaken by Sealife did not match the amount stated in the settlement agreement.
Therefore, as the validity of the settlement agreement is in question and the termination of the agreement was within the authorities of the state, the court ruled that there is no legal ground for the state to pay the settlement to Sealife Global.
Sealife Global was contracted to develop 3,000 housing units in Hulhumale’ three years ago. However, it was later revealed the company was selected without assessing its capacity to conduct a project of this scale. Although the apartments had never been built, the company took advanced payments from several prospective flat buyers, of which 203 people later charged the company in court to seek compensation.
Meanwhile, Interpol has issued a red notice against the Chairman of Sealife Global, Ahmed Moosa Mohamed, who is in hiding.