The Civil Court has ordered the repayment of MVR 33,694 that was erroneously deposited to an individual from the Zakat Fund for higher education.

The ruling was made yesterday against Fathimath Maeesha Mohamed of Shaadheevila, Ga. Villingili.

This case involves an extra MVR 33,694 deposited to Maeesha under the "Special Assistance from Zakat Fund for Higher Education" program announced by the Islamic Ministry on October 14, 2020. This program was opened to provide financial assistance to students whose studies were interrupted due to COVID-19.

Despite repeated requests to return the excess funds, Maeesha failed to do so, leading the Islamic Ministry (the State) to file a lawsuit to recover the money.

In response to the lawsuit, Maeesha claimed that the case couldn't proceed in the Civil Court. She stated that the maximum amount that could be given under the program was MVR 100,000, and she hadn't received more than that amount.

However, the State argued that MVR 100,000 had been deposited to Maeesha initially. Later, when checking the disbursement sheet following a query from another student, it was discovered that an additional MVR 33,694 had been erroneously deposited to Maeesha's account.

The State said that despite sending nine letters requesting the return of this excess amount, Maeesha had not repaid it.

The Civil Court determined that it had jurisdiction to hear the case. When Maeesha failed to respond to the lawsuit within the given 14-day period starting April 17 this year, the State requested a judgment in absentia.

In its ruling, the Civil Court declared that the extra MVR 33,694 deposited to Maeesha from the Zakat Fund must be repaid to the Islamic Ministry. The court ordered Maeesha to pay this amount to the Civil Court within seven days from yesterday, issuing the judgment in absentia.

The case was presided over by Judge Rizmina Idrees.