President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Thursday morning ratified the fourth amendment to the Penal Code of Maldives (Act no: 9/2014).
The new amendment criminalises offering bribes and details the provisions whereby a person may be held liable for this offence. As per the amendment, offering bribes is classified as a class three felony. The new amendment to the Penal Code also introduces other offences such as, acquiring wealth through illegitimate means, misusing state funds or assets, acting in a manner which gives a direct disadvantage to the state and asserting undue influence on businesses. Details for prosecution under these offences are also included in the amendment.
Once the new amendment to the Penal Code are gazetted, the Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act (Act no: 2/2000) will be nullified.
President Solih on Thursday morning also ratified the second amendment to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act (Act no: 13/2008).
The amendments were brought to Article 23 of the Act, which is concerned with defining corruption. As per the new amendment, acts of “corruption” entail the criminal activities mentioned in Articles 510, 513, 515, 516, 517 and 518 of the Penal Code, along with any other act that is identified as corrupt in any statute. Furthermore, enabling an action that is deemed corrupt, would also be considered an act of corruption.
These amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act were passed by the Parliament on Monday, April 19, 2021, at the 30th sitting of the first session of the Parliament for this year. Upon ratification, the amendment has now been published in the Government Gazette.
