Auditor General Hassan Ziyath has resigned after his name was revealed in the list of suspected beneficiaries in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal.
In his resignation letter addressed to Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed, Ziyath assured he has never participated in any activity involving corruption or bribery, or took any action that would call his integrity into question during his tenure as the auditor general. However, since his name is included in the list of individuals who allegedly received state funds embezzled in the MMPRC corruption scandal, Ziyath stated that remaining in his position would undermine the trust in the state and the Auditor General's Office.
The list compiled by the Presidential Commission on Corruption and State Asset Recovery consists of 281 names, including 119 incumbent and former state employees and 16 parliamentarians. The list includes names of government ministers, parliamentarians, judges, as well as police and military officers.
The joint parliamentary committee, consisting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Services and the Parliamentary Judiciary Committee, reviewing the list has decided to oust the beneficiaries of the MMPRC scandal who still hold positions in the government.
The MMPRC corruption scandal involves the largest embezzlement of state funds in the history of the Maldives, with current investigations suggesting that the total amount embezzled is over USD 220 million.