Haveeru understands that the investigation has been launched into the leasing of the uninhabited island of Kalhudhiyafushu in Thaa atoll to a company owned by Guraidhoo MP Hussein Manik Dhonmanik. His daughter, Mariyam Hussein Manik signed on behalf of Huravee Investments. Kalhudhiyafushu falls under the constituency represented by the parliamentarian from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). The island was leased by Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) on August 24, when the tourism ministry was overseen by then vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) vice president Muawwiz Rasheed told Haveeru that the ongoing investigation into the corruption scandal surrounding MMPRC involve the leasing of several islands for resort development. He, however, declined to confirm whether or not Kalhudhiyafushu is part of the investigation. Charges were filed last week against Adheeb Abdulla Ziyath, who serves as the managing director of MMPRC. Adheeb was charged with abuse of power while Ziyath was charged with corruption. In the first hearing held at the Criminal Court Thursday afternoon, Adheeb, speaking via video conference, sought the right to appoint an attorney. The court granted a month for him to complete his request. Ziyath, also speaking via video conference, denied the charges. At Thursday’s hearing, held without prior announcement, prosecutors asked the court to produce both Adheeb and Ziyath -- remanded at the police detention centre in the nearby island of Dhoonidhoo -- in court for the trial. The judges announced that arrangements would be made for them to appear in court for the next hearing. On Thursday, the court also ordered both Adheeb and Ziyath to be remanded till the end of the trial. In addition to the corruption scandal, Adheeb has also been charged with terrorism in a separate case for allegedly possessing a handgun. Criminal Court last week constituted a three judge bench to preside over Adheeb's trial. Then Vice President Adheeb was arrested on October 24 upon return from an official visit to China and taken to the police detention centre in the island of Dhoonidhoo in Kaafu atoll. He is accused of orchestrating a recent blast aboard the presidential speedboat now confirmed as an attempt to kill the president. President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim were travelling to Male from the airport on September 28 when the explosion took place. They had returned home that morning after concluding their visit to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual hajj pilgrimage. The president was unhurt, but the first lady suffered a spinal fracture. Ziyath heads MMPRC, which is at the centre of the investigation into the blast and separate probes into several corruption allegations concerning the company. MMPRC had siphoned off millions received by leasing islands for resort development, authorities had said. Both the auditor general and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are conducting separate investigations into the company. ACC had said its investigation concerning MMPRC is shaping up to be the biggest corruption investigation in its history. The commission had described the probe into MMPRC’s finances as being much wider in scope than previous investigations of a similar scale such as the leasing of Maldives main international airport to an Indian company and the deal with a Malaysian company to install a brand new border control system in the Maldives. Haveeru understands that the funds embezzled by leasing islands for resort development through MMPRC is estimated to sum up to USD40-60 million (MVR616-925 million). In addition, police had said the acquisition fee received by leasing of islands had been deposited to an account with direct links to a relative of the now deposed vice president Adheeb. Police arrested Hamid “Hamid Seytu” Ismail immediately after he was released by the court following the expiry of his remand late last month. Hamid, the Managing Director of Gulf Craft Maldives which is the nation’s premier boat builder, was initially arrested on October 28 from a condominium in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. The arrest was made in a joint operation by the Maldives police and the counter terrorism division of the Malaysian police. Police confirmed that Hamid was arrested again in connection to a money laundering case. Police had said MMPRC had illegally transferred funds received as acquisition cost by leasing an island for resort development to a company directly linked to Hamid. The funds were then transferred to the accounts of several suspects in the blast, police added. Meanwhile, Ziyath had earlier appealed the remand extension handed to him by the Criminal Court. Criminal Court had on October 24 extended the remand of Ziyath, who was arrested the previous day, by 15 days. He was later given another 15-day remand extension as well. The court again extended the remand of Ziyath by 15 days on November 22 after he was produced in court following the expiration of the second remand extension handed to him. Ziyath had appealed the third remand extension given to him. The High Court is to hold its first hearing into the remand appeal. Ziyath appealed his second remand extension as well. The High Court then upheld the Criminal Court’s ruling.