Jawaz testifies that Bassam oversaw FAM finances in ongoing embezzlement case

Former General Secretary of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), Hussain Jawaz, has testified that ex-FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel was directly responsible for overseeing the association’s finances.

Jawaz appeared in the Criminal Court on Sunday as a prosecution witness in the embezzlement and money laundering case against Bassam.

The charges stem from allegations that Bassam misappropriated FIFA funds allocated to FAM. During his testimony, Jawaz, who has close ties with Bassam stated that all financial transactions at FAM, including foreign funds in US dollars and local government support in Maldivian Rufiyaa, were handled under Bassam’s direction via the FAM finance department.

He added that since 2016, all payments, including salaries and expenses, had been made in MVR after converting any foreign currency received.

The case focuses on USD 10,000 deposited by FIFA between July and August 2018, which the Prosecutor General’s Office claims was diverted to Bassam’s personal BML account.

Following the deduction of bank charges, USD 9,999 was transferred to his account. Prosecution allege the funds were then used to pay rent on a Rehendhi flat and transferred to Glacier Investment owned by Bassam and his wife for unrelated expenses.

Bassam has denied the charges, his lawyer stating that the allegations lack clarity on the nature of the alleged wrongdoing.

The prosecution is seeking to recover the USD 10,000, and the charges carry a potential penalty of five to 15 years in prison and a fine ranging from USD 10,000 to USD 1 million.

Further charges allege fraudulently transferring funds from FAM’s account to his personal account under the guise of a currency exchange transaction. In this case, FAM reportedly never received the exchanged amount. If convicted, Bassam faces an additional sentence of one year, seven months, and six days.

In another case pending trial, Bassam is also accused of laundering USD 1.2 million of FAM funds to purchase an apartment at Amin Avenue.

The next hearing in the trial is scheduled for Wednesday.