Prosecutor General Requests Criminal Probe into Settlement Committee Agreements

Prosecutor General (PG) Abbas Shareef has formally requested the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate alleged criminal misconduct surrounding settlements approved by the now-defunct settlement committee during the previous administration.

The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee recently determined that all agreements made by the settlement committee between 2019 and 2023 are void ab initio and called for legal actions to invalidate the deals.

According to the PG’s Office, the finance committee's report accused several senior officials from the former administration of embezzling state funds and property, violating constitutional and legal duties while holding high-level government positions.

In light of these allegations, the PG believes the findings necessitate a criminal investigation under the ACC's mandate. “On December 17, the Prosecutor General requested the ACC to launch a criminal probe into the matter,” the PG’s Office stated, adding that the PG has also urged the ACC to expedite the investigation, provide regular updates, and consult the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) as the case progresses.

The Parliament had earlier endorsed a finance committee motion advising the PGO to file charges against former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail, and former Minister at the President’s Office Ali Shiyam if they are implicated by the investigation into disputed settlements and compensations disbursed by the settlement committee.

Before its dissolution, the settlement committee approved compensations totaling USD 14.6 million prior to November 17, 2023. Additionally, the committee was reportedly set to allocate USD 64.8 million in assets and funds as compensation.

In a separate move, the Attorney General recently invalidated nine agreements signed by the settlement committee, suspending their implementation and halting all disbursements with immediate effect.

The PG's request for a criminal investigation reflects growing scrutiny over the actions of the settlement committee and the financial implications of its decisions on the state.