An official effort to combat corruption in Maldives resulted in the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Board on 21st April 1991 with 6 employees.
The board was mandated with investigating claims of misuse of state funds, collecting bribes, abuse of function to receive or provide and undue advantage and using any other illegal practice to gain an undue benefit.
Anti-Corruption Board received an official mandate on 23 March 1991 due to passage of an amendment to act of parliament no. 3/68 (Official actions).
Initial work of the Anti-Corruption Board was carried out in an office located on the west side of the President’s Office. However due to a requirement by the government the board was relocated to the top floors of Th. Atoll and Dh. Atoll buildings on 17th February 1992. The board was further relocated to Huravee building.
Mr Hassan Didi was appointed as the commissioner on 21st April 1991. He was replaced as commissioner by Mr Abdulla Faarooq Hassan on 16th November 1993. He stayed on as commissioner till 16th October 2008.
Initial investigation trips to atolls were conducted from 2nd to 16th September 1992. The atolls visited on these trips were Gn. Fuvahmulah, Ga. Villingilli, Ga. Gemanafushi, Ga. Dhaandhoo and S.Feydhoo.
The passage and ratification of Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption Act no. 2/2000 on 31st August 2000 opened new legal avenues to investigate claims of corruption.
Maldives became a signatory to United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on 22nd March 2007 which was a good step forward in the Maldivian participation of global efforts in combatting corruption.
Article 199 of chapter 7 of the 2008 new constitution stated that the Maldivian state must establish an Anti-Corruption Commission. Due to this, Anti-Corruption Commission Act (13/2008) was ratified on 24th September 2008 and an interim Anti-Corruption Commission was established on 16th October 2008.
Due to the establishment of an independent Anti-Corruption Commission, staffs and cases previously handled by the Anti-Corruption Board were transferred to the commission. This vastly improved the quality of work and number of cases finished by the commission.
Mr Ali Rasheed Umar was appointed as the interim president of the commission and on 9th September 2009. Mr Mohmaed Shafeeu was appointed as the first president of the permanent Anti-Corruption Commission. Mr Hassan Luthufee was elected as president of the commission on 13th October 2010 after being appointed as the fifth member.
Investigation trips to atolls have being conducted each year and establishment of a southern regional office in Addu city on 1st December 2015 has greatly helped reduce the amount of time taken to investigate cases of corruption related to the 4 southern most atolls.