Saudi Arabia paid former President Abdulla Yameen USD 5 million for the 2014 parliamentary elections and no one knew what happened to that money, PNC Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falaah has said.

Speaking at a rally held by the PNC yesterday, Falaah said the MPs present at the time would testify that Yameen said he had received the USD 5 million.

"He said that Saudi Arabia would give USD 5 million to the campaign of the then MPs for the 2014 parliamentary elections. The MPs at the time will testify that this is not a lie," he stated.

Falaah said no one knew about what had happened to the money as Yameen had not shared anything about it with anyone other than saying he had received it. However, people are now questioning the construction of a 12-storey building in Henveiru, he said.

"In the city, such a plot of land can be built for 12 floors for about MVR 80 million. People will question former rulers if such things are being done without taking out any loans or financial assistance," he said.

In addition, Falaah said that he was also a member of the PPM when Yameen was in power but later he found out that Yameen had done things that the PPM parliamentary group did not know. As such he stated that Yameen had taken money from the public for the presidential campaign and paid it back from the state budget.

“There is enough money in the account of President Yameen to cover the budget of the state for one year,” Falaah said.

According to the Political Parties Act, the money received by the party must be in the account of the party. The accounts cannot be withdrawn, transferred or have a cheque book, he said.

Yameen has admitted that he received money for political purposes and the money should be in the party account, he said. Therefore, the people will be suspicious of having millions of rufiyaa in the account of a president or a former president, he said.