The Criminal Court of the Maldives has convicted Mariyam Dheena, the former head of procurement at Fenaka Corporation Limited, of corruption and abuse of official authority in connection with illicit procurement contracts awarded during her tenure at the state utility provider.
The verdict concludes a multi-year judicial prosecution led by the Prosecutor General’s Office following an extensive investigative inquiry conducted by the Anti-Corruption Commission into procurement irregularities and fraudulent supply tenders at Fenaka.
Findings on procurement irregularities
State prosecutors presented financial records, procurement evaluations, and internal email correspondence demonstrating that Dheena misused her executive discretion to bypass mandatory competitive bidding protocols, steering lucrative supply contracts to favored private entities in breach of corporate procurement regulations.
The court found that the illegal tender manipulation resulted in substantial unjustified financial losses to the state enterprise while generating personal enrichment:
"The prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant acted in violation of state procurement statutes to confer unlawful financial advantages upon third-party suppliers," the Criminal Court observed in its judgment.
The presiding judge convicted Dheena under provisions of the Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act and penal statutes governing the abuse of public office. Sentencing hearings have been scheduled for later this month.
Broadened anti-graft scrutiny on state utilities
The conviction represents a major milestone in government efforts to hold former officials accountable for institutional corruption within state-owned enterprises. Fenaka Corporation accumulated billions of Rufiyaa in debt under previous administrations, largely driven by inflated procurement and unvetted supply tenders.
The current management of Fenaka, which is currently undergoing a phased administrative merger into the State Electric Company Limited (STELCO), welcomed the court’s decision as a critical reaffirmation of accountability and transparency in public utility administration.
