HDC land corruption: Tribunal orders reinstatement of sacked staff; awarded MVR 144K in damages

Employment Tribunal has ordered reinstatement of former Housing Development Corporation (HDC)’s Chief Business Officer and Media Department’s head Ahmed Yameen, citing he was suspended from his post and dismissed unlawfully as part of the investigation into allegations of corruption in the award of land plots from Hulhumale’ under the former administration’s ‘Binveriya’ scheme.

A flurry of documents leaked on social media on December 18^th, 2024, appeared to show that multiple people were given land from Hulhumale’ under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme despite not being on the list of recipients released in 2023 during the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration.

This included the brother of Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed, who had then been serving as the managing director of HDC back then, Mohamed Fazeel Rasheed, who had been serving as the deputy managing director of Male’ Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC).

Fazul resigned on December 21^st after he was placed on suspension in connection with the case. Fazeel was dismissed in July 8^th after six months of paid suspension.

While the case is the subject of an investigation by both Maldives Police Service and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) – a total of 15 HDC staff were dismissed in connection to the case.

They include Yameen and the corporation’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Abdulla Faid who were dismissed from their posts in February. However, it remains unclear how both individuals are linked to the case.

Both Yameen and Faid contested their dismissal at the Employment Tribunal.

The Tribunal concluded Yameen’s case, ordering his reinstatement. The Tribunal also awarded Yameen MVR 144,000 in damages, account for six months of his salary at a rate of MVR 24,000 per month.

He was also awarded MVR 3,000 as Ramadan allowance for last year’s Ramadan and MVR 20,000 as in legal fees Yameen had incurred.

The Tribunal ordered to settle the payment of the damages and other funds within two months.

It is unclear whether the case filed by Faid at the Employment Tribunal had reached completion.

Notably, travel ban orders were imposed against 24 individuals including Fazul in connection with the land corruption. The Police announced that the ban was lifted on March 25^th.

Fazul was recently spotted on the frontlines of a ruling PNC event, prompting huge backlash.