The Civil Court has ordered Ondhigo Private Limited, owned by former Customs Commissioner Mohamed Junaid, to pay MVR 8.5 million to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).

Junaid serves as Managing Director, shareholder, and board director of Ondhigo, which is currently in the process of winding up.

The lawsuit alleged that Ondhigo failed to pay MVR 7.3 million in Goods and Services Tax (GST) from May 2020 to February 2024. MIRA also sought MVR 1.1 million in fines for non-payment of GST and MVR 8.5 million in plastic bag fees under the Waste Management Act.

The court delivered the case documents to Ondhigo, which did not respond, allowing MIRA to request a ruling in the company’s absence. Under the Civil Procedure Code, the court can convict a defendant in absentia if they fail to respond within the required timeframe.

The Civil Court ruled that Ondhigo must pay the full amount of MVR 8,511,029.30 within 14 days.