Former Fenaka Corporation Managing Director Ahmed Saeed Mohamed has been sentenced to four years in prison by the Criminal Court on Sunday for corruption. The case involved a contract between Fenaka and Blazon Inc. worth MVR 848,000, where Fenaka paid the company before the work was finished and without checking if the work was done properly.
An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation found these payments were made improperly, leading to charges against Saeed and Fenaka’s former procurement head, Mariyam Dheena Solih, in December 2024. While Dheena’s case is still ongoing, Saeed was found guilty of misuse of official authority.
Saeed is also facing another trial over the purchase of an ice plant from Kaizaan in 2023. Prosecutors say he did not reveal that Fenaka had originally planned to build the plant internally at Maamendhoo. He faces abuse of authority charges in this case, which is still ongoing.
Audit Report Sparks Political Controversy
Saeed’s conviction came just three days after an audit by the Auditor General’s Office (AGO) found widespread financial problems at Fenaka. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the audit was used by the government for political purposes.
The MDP accused the government of pressuring Auditor General Hussain Niyazy and called the report “politically motivated”, saying it was designed to attack the opposition. The party said it is ready for a fair investigation of any mistakes during its time in office but will not respond to what it called “government propaganda.”
Muizzu Government Corruption Ignored
The MDP also pointed out that the Muizzu government is corrupt and has done nothing about its own scandals. While the government targets corruption under the opposition, it has ignored problems in its own administration, including political appointments, misuse of public funds, and contracts given without proper checks.
“The Fenaka audit report was issued to cover up the government’s own corruption and to distract from the public’s anger ahead of the October 3 rally,” the MDP said.
The opposition also warned that the upcoming parliamentary session could be used to spread more government propaganda. They said the government is trying to protect its own officials while attacking the opposition.
Ahmed Saeed’s conviction has made Fenaka a symbol of corruption, political fights, and public anger. With more corruption cases pending and the audit report making headlines, many believe the Muizzu government only acts against opposition-linked scandals while ignoring its own wrongdoing.
