Audit Uncovers Possible Fraud in Centre Enterprises’ MVR 400 Million Health Ministry Claim

A recent audit into Centre Enterprises’ claims against the Health Ministry for supplying medical equipment and consumables has raised serious questions about the authenticity of the company’s documents. The special audit, requested by the Attorney General’s Office, uncovered potential forgery amid claims exceeding MVR 400 million.

Centre Enterprises had filed claims to be compensated MVR 79 million for supplying the Health Ministry between 2008 and 2010. The company pressed charges in 2022 at the Civil Court regarding these supplies. The Auditor General’s Office, conducting a special audit at the Attorney General’s request, discovered what appears to be fraudulent documentation submitted as part of these claims.

According to Auditor General Hussain Niyazy, Centre Enterprises has filed six legal cases against the state since 2008, targeting three government offices and state-owned companies. Collectively, the claims seek over MVR 175 million, with fines and additional charges pushing the total to MVR 410.4 million.

Centre Enterprises’ charges include:

• Environment Ministry (2021): Acquisition of water tanks, MVR 31.9 million

• Department of Medical Services (2022): Water tanks, MVR 31.9 million

• Department of Medical Services: Medical equipment, MVR 79.4 million

• MACL (2022): Fire truck acquisition, MVR 20.9 million

• Male’ City Council (2006–2010): Supplies, MVR 168 million

• Environment Ministry (2021): Water tanks, MVR 31.9 million

• Medical equipment supply (2022): MVR 83.9 million

The audit noted that investigations into some of these cases are ongoing, with further details to be publicly released after completion.

The Auditor General’s report highlighted multiple discrepancies in the documents submitted by Centre Enterprises for the Health Ministry claim:

• Invoices were signed by “Aishath Haleem,” who is not recorded as having worked for the Department of Medical Services or the Health Ministry.

• Announcement numbers did not match official Foreign Ministry records for sourcing medical equipment.

• Project codes referenced in the documents belonged to unrelated projects.

• Submitted agreements contained page number mismatches.

• Bank guarantee numbers provided by the State Bank of India in 2007 did not align with official formats.

• Payments for the claimed supplies had already been made in 2008, as charges against MACL confirm.

Auditor General Niyazy warned that the documents submitted by Centre Enterprises may have been intentionally forged to secure unwarranted payments.

The audit recommends a criminal investigation, describing the case as a potential attempt to extort the state through fraudulent submissions. Niyazy urged the Maldives Police Service to conduct forensic analysis, identify involved parties, and initiate a full investigation.

“With the submission of illegitimate documents to a judicial court, it can be concluded that the company was working to extort payment from the state for goods that were not provided,” the report states.

Centre Enterprises’ internal audits from 2008 to 2010 reveal figures far lower than the amounts claimed in court:

• 2008: MVR 3,166

• 2009: MVR 9,442,859

• 2010: MVR 2,300,485

The three-year total amounts to MVR 11,746,510—significantly less than the over MVR 400 million sought in legal claims.

While the Auditor General recommended criminal proceedings, the Attorney General had already submitted a case to authorities in May 2025.

Centre Enterprises was registered in 2006 with three shareholders: Abdullah Arif, Ahmed Jamiz, and Aleefa Ahmed, who serves as Managing Director. The company has denied allegations of submitting forged documents.