Court dismisses MVR 380K lawsuit against Adeeb’s MTD over unpaid rent

The Civil Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a landlord against Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD) – a party that was run by former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor – for allegedly failing to pay over MVR 300,000 in rent payments for its office space.

MTD had leased an office space in Male’ to run the party’s office. But in May, the landlord filed a lawsuit against the party with the Civil Court, claiming failure to pay MVR 380,000 in payments for one year’s rent, and failure to vacate the premises even after the lease agreement expired.

The Elections Commission had dissolved the MTD for failure to meet the minimum membership requirement of 3,000 in August amid the lawsuit.

On Monday, Civil Court Judge Azfa Abdul Gafoor dismissed the lawsuit, citing that the landlord had filed the wrong form for the petition.

A party founded by Adeeb in 2018, the MTD was dissolved by EC in late August, after it failed to raise membership figures to the minimum 3,000 members required by law.

Adeeb was convicted of charges of corruption and money laundering linked to the MMPRC graft scandal in 2020, and sentenced to over 20 years in prison, under a plea deal with the state.

But former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who get elected to office on the promise of delivering justice in the case, commuted his sentences in 2023, mere days before his successor, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had been set to take office.