Hussain Jawaz, former Secretary General of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), has testified that former FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel was most involved in managing the association's finances in the embezzlement and money laundering case against Bassam.

A hearing was held today at the Criminal Court to begin the trial and take evidence in the charges against Bassam. The judge presiding over the case, Ismail Shafeeu, also proceeded with the submission of opening statements. The state's opening statement was accepted by the court as stated in the charge sheet.

Presenting the opening statement for Bassam, his lawyers said that Bassam has been denying these charges from the very first day. They also noted that the money alleged to have been embezzled in the charges are funds that Bassam was entitled to.

Following this, evidence was taken in this case. Only Jawaz's testimony was taken today. In his testimony, Jawaz said he is currently in a political position and that he served as FAM's Secretary General from 2016 to 2023.

Jawaz said that during his time at FAM and in his capacity as Secretary General, he did not manage FAM's finances, and that the President of FAM was most involved in managing financial matters. He said the Accounts Department, headed by Mohamed Ageel, would then manage financial matters.

The state has also charged Ageel with embezzlement in connection with the FAM case.

Jawaz said that while in the position of Secretary General, he would sign checks and vouchers brought by Ageel. He said Ageel would come to get his signature for financial matters, and he was certain this was how it worked in 2018 as well.

Jawaz said Ageel would come to get signatures for converting foreign currency received by FAM from FIFA and AFC, and there was no specific procedure for converting dollars.

He said FIFA provides funds to FAM on the condition that it be spent in accordance with FIFA Development. However, Jawaz said FIFA audit reports have sometimes noted deviations from procedures in spending this money.

Additionally, Jawaz said it was Ageel who brought the cheque in the case where Bassam is charged with embezzlement. Jawaz said money received by FAM cannot be taken for personal use or as a loan.

Jawaz said the Executive Committee discussed giving Bassam USD 3,000 per month, and that this money would not be given without including it in the salary sheet.

The embezzlement and money laundering charges against Bassam were filed on February 1 this year. The Prosecutor General's Office said that while serving as FAM President, Bassam submitted documents on August 26, 2018 to transfer USD 10,004 from FAM's Bank of Ceylon account, where FIFA funds were deposited in July and August 2018, to his personal BML account. After deducting USD 5 as bank charges, USD 9,999 was deposited into his account.

"Although the documents submitted to the bank stated 'sales of dollar' as the purpose of the deposit, since there is no evidence that the Maldivian rufiyaa equivalent of USD 9,999.00 was ever deposited into FAM's account, and since there is no evidence that Bassam Adeel Jaleel deposited it to FAM, and since he used this money for his personal use," the PG's Office stated as the reason for charging Bassam with embezzlement.

If convicted of this charge, Bassam faces a jail sentence of one year, seven months and six days.

He is charged with money laundering for depositing USD 1,910 on September 2, 2018 into a private individual's account and using it for matters related to Glacia Investment Pvt Ltd, a company in which Bassam has shares, and for using USD 2,000 on September 5, 2018 to pay rent for the Rehendhee flat he was renting, and for sending money deposited by FAM into his account to various people in different amounts and using that money for matters unrelated to FAM and for his personal use.

If convicted of this charge, the sentence would be a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 1,000,000 and imprisonment for 5 to 15 years, or imprisonment for 5 to 15 years.

While the trial for embezzlement and money laundering charges against Bassam has begun, a case alleging he bought an apartment using FAM funds has also been sent to the PG's Office requesting charges.

The state has also filed additional money laundering and bribery charges against Bassam at the Criminal Court on December 22 last year. Hearings for these two charges have not yet begun in court.

These two charges were filed in connection with a case where Bassam, while serving as FAM President, allegedly embezzled funds given to the association by various parties, deposited foreign currency aid given to FAM into accounts of association officials and related parties and companies, misused the funds, and conducted money laundering activities.

The money laundering charge was filed for signing an agreement to purchase two two apartments from Amin Avenue, and sending money from FAM's dollar account to various companies as payment for the apartments, including booking fee and commitment fee, totaling MVR 23 million including GST, which was then paid to Amin Construction.