Ex-president, state given 10 days to make final submissions in Fuhgiri corruption trial

The Criminal Court has given 10 days for the state and defence to make final submissions in the R. Fuhgiri corruption trial.

Former President Abdulla Yameen has been charged with bribery and money laundering in connection to the leasing of R. Fuhgiri island for resort development during his presidency. The charges were raised against Yameen in June 2020.

A preliminary hearing was held in connection to the case on Sunday, where the defendant and state submitted evidence.

The state had presented 86 materials of evidence including letters, cheques as well as slips confirming cash deposit. The same evidences were presented for both charges against the ex-president.

Similarly, the defendant also presented the same materials as evidence for both charges, including previous statements and cash receipts.

Before Sunday’s hearing commenced, the defendant claimed that the charge was not based on a criminal action because it had been proven, highlighting that they are yet to receive the documents sought in connection to the case.

The state prosecutors revealed that the documents in question, are those linked to the decisions announced during the hearing on January 7. Noting that the reasons for why these documents cannot be shared have also been disclosed, prosecutors accused the defence of stalling the court proceedings.

Judge Ahmed Shakeel who is presiding over the case, revealed that the defendant had sought the documents against the set protocols and so, there is no legal basis to facilitate the provision of these documents.

The judge revealed that the opportunity will be given for the defence once they submit forms under the set protocols for seeking evidence.

The preliminary hearing was concluded after both parties completed presenting evidences and with the judge providing a three-day period for the defence to collect the required documents under set protocols.

The next hearing has been scheduled for August 22.

According to the charges being sought against Yameen, he had accepted USD 1,117,000 in bribes for the leasing and had even employed Krik Riza to help funnel the money through Sun Construction & Engineering Pvt. Ltd. and Sun Investments Pvt. Ltd; Riza and the two companies owned by Yameen's close ally Ahmed Siyam have also been charged in relation to the case.

Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison on 28 November 2019, after being found guilty of laundering USD one million through state-owned MMPRC via a private company, Scores of Flair, during his presidential tenure. He was also given a fine totaling USD five million, along with the jail sentence, to be settled within six months.

The former president also faces fresh charges regarding the leasing of Aarah island in Vaavu atoll for resort development.