Former FIU chief Ashraf faces sharp criticism from Yameen

Former President Abdulla Yameen has last night levied strong criticisms against former head of central bank Maldives Monetary Authority's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Abdulla Ashraf.

Ashraf was transferred out of the FIU and replaced by former Tax Appeal Tribunal member Ismail Sajid on August 3. Although MMA said its part of organizational changes within the central bank, the transfer was affected just one day after an FIU report regarding the financial dealings of Official Events, a company in which ruling People's National Congress (PNC) MP for Baarah Ibrahim Shujau holds shares, was leaked on social media.

MMA, however, insists there is no correlation between the report being leaked and Ashraf's transfer.

At a meeting of Yameen's People's National Front (PNF) last night, Yameen strongly criticized Ashraf. Ashraf had previously led the FIU even during Yameen's administration. However, he was transferred to MMA's Planning Section on September 17, 2018 after suspicious transactions from Yameen's account within the MMPRC corruption scandal was flagged to Police.

During the latter years of Yameen's administration, when Ashraf was leading the FIU, an issue of USD 1 million being transferred to Anti Corruption Commission's escrow account from Yameen's Bank of Maldives (BML) account was sent to the ACC. At the time, FIU also forwarded to Police a case concerning the finances of Yameen's presidential campaign.

There was heavy speculation at the time that then MMA Governor Abdulla Naseer had taken the steps in relation to the MMPRC corruption case. Ashraf also submitted a complaint to the Parliament stating action had been taken against him without justifiable cause. Governor Naseer was summoned to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee to be questioned about it.

At the time, Ashraf accused Governor Naseer of attempting to influence FIU's work. Ashraf stated that before his transfer, Naseer met with him twice and tried to influence the FIU’s operations. One of the meetings took place privately on the MMA terrace, where Naseer pushed for the FIU’s work to follow a specific direction.

Naseer, however, denied these allegations at the Parliament's committee. He later resigned on July 24, 2019 while the parliament's probe was still ongoing.

With the change in administration, seeing Ibrahim Mohamed Solih elected President, Ashraf was reinstated as FIU head on February 1, 2023.

During the PNF meeting last night, Yameen attributed his reservations about Ashraf to the latter’s reinstatement during President Solih’s tenure, highlighting disparities in how individuals are treated under successive administrations.

Yameen said that as per the country's laws, any transaction above MVR 200,000 is considered money laundering if the means of obtaining the funds cannot be proved, leading to all charges being now of money laundering. However, under international standards, much higher figures are involved when money laundering is accused, he said.

Yameen asserted that the law must be enforced upon all without discrimination. He then questioned whether there could have been no transactions above MVR 200,000 during Solih's administration.

"But, there were no issues raised about this, were there?" Yameen said.

Yameen claimed that although Ashraf was removed from the FIU chief position during his administration, he had at no point interfered with MMA's operations. He especially had never concerned himself with staff administration at the MMA, he said. He said that Ashraf had been transferred, regardless of for which reason, under the authorities granted to the Governor under the MMA Act.

"As soon as Ibrahim Mohamed Solih came to power, Ashraf was brought back again to FIU. That would ensure that no cases regarding them (those in the Solih administration) would not be investigated. No cases involving them were investigated," Yameen said.

Yameen stated that the justice that was received by Shujau must be extended to everyone.

"The law should not be something that only chases certain people. It shouldn't be something that instigates witch hunts. I, myself, know that there are cases involving some MDP seniors. There are many cases. But, none of this was forwarded to Police," Yameen alleged.

At last night's meeting, Yameen repeatedly claimed that MVR 200,000 is too low a figure to be considered as money laundering, considering the amounts people have.

He claims that the tendency to label 'small transactions' as money laundering has led to Maldives' being labelled as a money laundering hub.

"This is what happens when we make laws and apply them wrongly," he said.

Yameen emphasized that he was against money laundering, but that he was saying that the law is misleading and confused.

"Money laundering is a specific concept. In international commerce, money laundering is a specific concept in law. The amounts involved in it are large. By applying it to inconsequential amounts, Maldives is now seen as a money laundering haven, a hub," Yameen, who is even at present facing money laundering charges, declared.