The Anti-Corruption Commission has moved to charge Thinadhoo Mayor Saud Ali along with three former council members for allegedly handing out land without proper process. The case centers on plots given to a private company for a cooking gas business, a move the ACC says broke the rules and created unfair advantages.
Those named in the charges are sitting Mayor Saud Ali, Aminath Naseema, Ahumeema Ahmed, and Aishath Liusha Zubair. All four face accusations under Article 513 (b) for abuse of an official position. The ACC has already sent the file to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
What the Rules Actually Say
Maldives regulations on land allocation for non-residential use are clear. Plots meant for industrial or commercial purposes must go through a public tender. Skipping that step is not allowed. According to the ACC, the Thinadhoo Council ignored this requirement when it approved the allocation.
The decision came during the 111th meeting of the council’s fourth term. Investigators say three councilors backed the idea of awarding the land without any public announcement. That quiet approach, the ACC argues, let the company secure the plots and the benefits that came with them.
The Agreement and the Plots
On 1 November 2023, Mayor Saud signed the agreement on behalf of the council. Three plots, each measuring 2,000 square feet, were handed over to the company. One of those plots sits at the heart of the investigation. The ACC maintains the entire allocation was illegal and designed to deliver undue gains to the private firm.
With the investigation complete, the next step is formal criminal charges. Whether the courts will agree with the ACC’s reading of the facts remains to be seen, but the commission has drawn a firm line: public land is not a private favor to be handed out behind closed doors.
