The Mohamed Muizzu administration has proposed an amendment which seeks to give the President the power to appoint the head of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Meanwhile, the ACC is reportedly investigating several cases involving President Muizzu— when asked for details of the cases by local media sources, the ACC stated that since matters related to the President’s person, no details could be provided.
However, local media sources say that there are at least 10 cases the agency is investigating concerning Muizzu.
While very few details of the cases are available in a list released by the ACC on 13 February 2022, the commission has yet to confirm that the investigations have been concluded on any of the cases.
The ACC had, at the time, been investigating many instances relating back to Muizzu’s tenure as the Housing Minister during the Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom administration.
Cases include awarding a project to the highest bidder, flat list fraud, and awarding projects to companies for personal gain during his tenure as minister.
The Muizzu administration, on 27 October, introduced a bill to Parliament proposing that the President be given the power to appoint the head of the ACC — Parliament voted to consider the bill, referring it for committee review on Tuesday.
With the bill drawing criticism of the President and the administration, Muizzu posted on social media saying he would not do anything to influence the state powers and institutions but would propose amendments to the laws to reform them.
“[I] have never done anything to influence the powers of any state power, or any independent institution, or any elected person! Instead, the administration will continue to propose amendments to laws and regulations to ensure that such bodies work fairly, fairly and equitably, regardless of anyone, and to take all necessary steps to shape things in that direction,” Muizzu said in a post to social media.
The ACC does not share information on active investigations with the media to ensure the integrity of the investigation, and to prevent defamation, the commission had said earlier.