Chairperson of Villa Travels, Qasim Ibrahim, has said that all interactions between SOF Pvt Ltd and Villa Travels is legitimate and only carried out for the purpose of exchanging US Dollars.

Qasim has said this amidst the reveal that Villa Travels had received funds from the company compromised in the MMPRC corruption scandal.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had recently revealed a report on acts of corruption at Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) during former President Yameen’s administration.

Qasim, who is also Speaker of Parliament and Lader of Jumhooree Party (JP), responded to many who have taken to social media to express their outrage at Villa Travels having been involved with SOF Pvt Ltd. He said that Villa Travels is a company that conducts the sale of tickets for with other International airlines for Maldivian Rufiyaa.

Qasim noted that the government had forced this manner of exchange with Maldivian Rufiyaa. As such, he said that although tickets are sold in Maldivian Rufiyaa, airlines require payments in US dollars.

He noted that Villa Travels is a company that frequently purchases dollars and said that there is rarely a confirmation of exactly who the purchase of dollars is taking place with.

Qasim said that dollars, while under short supply from banks are bought from businesses and other sources. He reiterated that this is how most businesses or people going abroad for medical treatment carry on. He noted that the sale and purchase of dollars is not a crime under the regulations of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

The Chairman of Villa Travels has said that there are two separate occasions where SOF Pvt. Ltd had interacted with Villa Travels in the exchange of dollars via bank cheque. He added that all documentation of this interaction is still with him. He said that the money in exchange for dollars had also been provided by the company without delay.

Qasim responded to those who are critical of Villa Travels or himself as well as raised allegations regarding these exchanges and said that he is the person that owns Villa Travels. As such, he raised the question whether it is possible to identify finances while receiving a bank cheque from SOF Pvt Ltd, and simply point out that the finances had originally been earned through corruption.