The Anti-Corruption Commission has completed its investigation of the case alleging that a project involving electronic tagging of offenders was awarded to a company with close ties to the former Minister of Home Affairs, Umar Naseer, and has been forwarded to the Prosecutor General's office for prosecution on 7th December 2021.

Based on the findings of the case, the Commission has concluded that the case warrants prosecution on the grounds that former Minister of Home Affairs, Umar Naseer had acted in a manner which provided an undue advantage for a third party. Thus, the case has been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office to be prosecuted under Article 513(b) of Law number: 9/2014 (Maldives Penal Code).

The findings of the case indicate that the process of obtaining a party to monitor offenders using a tagging device was carried out under the supervision of the former Minister of Home Affairs, Umar Naseer, and that the process was carried out in contravention of standard procurement procedures stated in the Public finance regulation.  

Additionally, Mr. Umar Naseer formed a technical committee to assess the tag trials who also chaired the committee. Although the committee determined that the tags and accompanying electrical equipment proposed by Stalwart Maldives Pvt Ltd to which the project was granted were adequate for the project, the committee did not decide to award the project to the company. Indeed, according to the Article 8.20 of the Public finance regulation (2009) the project should have been awarded on an evaluation of the Ministry’s Bid evaluation Committee. However, the project was not awarded neither processed by the Bid evaluation committee of the Ministry of Home affairs.

Further, four shareholders of Stalwart Maldives Pvt Ltd, were revealed to be close associates (with reference to Article 3(c)(8) of Chapter 15 of the public finance regulation), of Mr.Umar Naseer. As a result, there is indeed a conflict of interest between Umar Naseer and the company.