News Desk-
Early Years (Uninhabited Sandbank): V. Aarah existed as a bare sandbank in Vaavu Atoll before being designated for local agricultural development and personal use.
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Agricultural Lease to Ahmed Thasmeen Ali: The island was allocated under the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture to a company owned by former Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and business associate Badhuru Naseer. It was primarily used as a private retreat and agricultural plot.
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August 9, 2015 (Administrative Reassignment): Under the direction of then-Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb, the island of V. Aarah was removed from the jurisdiction of local administration and the Ministry of Agriculture, then formally transferred to the Ministry of Tourism in a single morning-to-midday sequence to facilitate its commercial resort development.
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August 13, 2015 (2G Private Limited Formed): Former Felidhoo constituency MP Yoosuf Naeem established 2G Private Limited, holding a 99% stake in the entity.
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August 15–17, 2015 (Alleged Bribe Transfer): Yoosuf Naeem issued a USD 1 million cheque, which was deposited into the personal bank account of former President Abdulla Yameen. Prosecutors allege this payment represented a bribe to secure the lease of V. Aarah at a discounted acquisition rate.
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September 8, 2015 (Transfer to LA Resorts / Foreign Operator):
LA Resorts Private Limited acquired 99% control of 2G Private Limited to assume the development rights over V. Aarah, subsequently developing the island into Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives.
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Parent & Foreign Investment Partners: Registered as a Maldivian resort developer, LA Resorts Private Limited is backed by Sri Lankan hospitality giant John Keells Holdings PLC, which operates the property under its “Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts” brand.
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Political Affiliation & Local Interests: Corporate records and local shareholding entries link the company’s Male’-based holding representatives to an elite Maldivian political family. In addition, the venture maintains close ties to Italian hospitality interests, operating other prominent properties in Vaavu Atoll, including Alimatha Aquatic Resort and Dhiggiri Tourist Resort.
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Management & Lease Acquisition: Operating out of Male, the company’s local executive management collaborated with international operators to secure the lease, construct, and manage the Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives resort facility.
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2021–2022 (Criminal Charges & Conviction): The State prosecution filed bribery and money laundering charges against former President Abdulla Yameen and Yoosuf Naeem over the transaction. In December 2022, the Criminal Court sentenced Yameen to 11 years in prison and imposed an MVR 53 million fine.
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April 2024 (High Court Overturn & Retrial Order): The High Court quashed the 11-year conviction due to procedural flaws and ordered a full retrial at the Criminal Court.
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Present (Ongoing Retrial): Retrial proceedings remain underway in the Criminal Court, with the Supreme Court barring newly introduced state evidence from being admitted into the trial.
The controversial island of V. Aarah, located in Vaavu Atoll near Thinadhoo, has evolved from a bare sandbank into the center of the country’s most high-profile graft trials. Key events surrounding the ownership, administrative transfers, and resort lease of V. Aarah are detailed below:
