Speaking in a news conference held at DhiTV Studio, Minister Adeeb said the MVR 77.1 million transaction had been carried out via an agreement between Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) and Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). He said that $3 million had been paid back to MPL, and the rest would be paid back by coming December. “Even then, to everyone – to MPL, to MMPRC – it was agreed to cooperate. All relevant documents and such are in Audit Office,” he said. “What is sad is the huge effort put into linking me to it, implicating I took all the money or lost all the money. During my term in office as a minister, I have obtained [US] Dollars for the State, from one government company to another, from tourism industry, and numerous private parties – in order to prevent State companies from resorting to black market dollar dealings.” According to Minister Adeeb, the audit report implicating him in corruption had been prepared based on “a letter a private citizen was made to send [to Audit Office].” Minister Adeeb said that during Former Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s presidency, he had raised money via Treasury Bills in order to pay off a bond taken by the State. He said that he had “begged” numerous individuals from private sector to buy T-Bills every time an issue with cash flow arose, and said that he had raised MVR 800-900 million in T-Bills as of last October. -Allegations of corruption, ‘blatant lies’- Minister Adeeb denied allegations of corruption and misuse of State funds, calling them blatant lies. “MMPRC has paid back $3 million from $5 million owed to them – that is via an agreement, and via decisions by boards of both companies. Payback on loan will be completed by December,” he said. According to Minister Adeeb, transactions with Montileon and Millennium Capital Management – companies the minister is having personal stakes in – are carried out directly by MPL and MMPRC. “The transactions, the MVR 77 million wasn’t kept at a house or lost by the State. Because, the State had and will supply private parties with money in order to obtain US Dolllars,” said the minister. -Dhaal Atoll Maagau issue- Auditor General has also suspected Minister Adeeb of corruption in the transactions to lease Dhaal Atoll Magaau to be developed as a tourist resort. Head Lease of $2.25 million for the island paid by an Italian citizen had also gone into Millennium Capital Management – a company in which Minister Adeeb has been accused of having a stake in. Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim called out for investigation into suspected corrupt transactions carried out by the company from 2012, as well as the issue of money given by the company to a senior tourism official, suspected of being a bribe. Minister Adeeb said at the press conference that the island in question was used by some friends of Former Deputy Speaker of People’s Majlis, Dhiggaru MPAhmed Nazim. He said that MP Nazim had, in numerous occasions, requested for the island to be given to his friends, upon which he had asked MP Nazim to carry out the transaction in such a way that it benefited the State. He said that MP Nazim had “expressed his dissatisfaction” over his reply upon numerous occasions. Minister Adeeb completely denied allegations of a Head Lease being paid for the resort by an Italian citizen. “Lease rent is paid after an island is leased, after the island is developed and operational. Rent is paid after construction period is complete. Therefore there cannot be an island that was given to anyone, by paying a private company, without payment to State,” he said. -‘Ready to prove innocence’- Minister Adeeb said that he was ready to prove that the allegations made against him in the Audit Report were lies, and would show financial statements proving his innocence to the press of Sunday. He said that claims made by Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim that he had not received the minister’s financial statements were lies. “I have sent him my financial statements,” he said. Minister Adeeb said that it raised questions as to why the Auditor General had not released the Audit Report, before the revision to Audit Act – which threatens the AG’s position- was approved by People’s Majlis. He said that AG Niyaz Ibrahim had been unjust, and had used undue influence in timing the release of the report, within moments President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had ratified the revision. “This is a sad act carried out to sully my name, because of the advances a young man such as myself has made in politics,” he said. “Nevertheless, I am ready to face the allegations made by him and call out for all relevant institutions in Maldives to look into the matter.” -‘Unusual ties between AG Niyaz Ibrahim and MP Ahmed Nazim’- Minister Adeeb during the press conference voiced major allegations against MP Ahmed Nazim. He said that there were “unusual ties” between AG Niyaz Ibrahim and MP Ahmed Nazim. He said that MP Nazim had threatened him an Audit Report would be released implicating him in corrupt transaction prior to the release of the report, and that MP Nazim made his trip to Malaysia after directing “numerous threats.” Minister Adeeb said that MP Nazim had asked that he support MP Nazim’s bid to run for Majlis Deputy Speaker, and threatened that numerous Audit Reports implicating him and his family would be released if he failed to provide his backing. “I said that I would not in any way betray my country, President Yameen, or President Maumoon politically. I held my ground. I asked that it be released, if such a report existed. And them the MPL issue and other such issues started to surface,” he said.