Yameen's team says USD 5 million fine not paid as conviction was appealed at court

While the state is seeking to collect the USD five million fine imposed on former President Abdulla Yameen in his money laundering conviction in 2019, his lawyers have said that the matter has been appealed at the Supreme Court.

Yameen was convicted of laundering USD one million through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) via a private company SoF during his presidency, on November 2019. While he was sentenced to five years in prison, the former president was also issued a USD five million to be paid within six months.

While it has been nearly two years since his conviction, Yameen is yet to pay this fine.

Hence, the AG Office filed a request at the Civil Court on Tuesday, to order the former president to pay the fine as per the Criminal Court verdict, in whole.

Prior to heading to court, the Office had attempted to attain the USD five million through the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) last year. MIRA was ordered to collect the funds from the jailed former president in accordance with Article 50 of the Tax Administration Act of the Maldives, which states that “unless specified otherwise in another Act, if a fee, or rent, or royalty, or fine, or any other money required to be paid to the MIRA by any person under any Act is not paid within the period required, MIRA, in collecting such money from such person, shall follow the procedures specified in this chapter as being the procedures to be followed in collecting tax unpaid by a person required to pay tax under a Taxation Act.”

However, Yameen failed to pay up even after this attempt, and the Attorney General has the power to collect the money through the court.

Responding to AG Office’s decision to file the case at Civil Court, Yameen’s defence team in a statement said that the money laundering conviction has been appealed at the Supreme Court, adding that MIRA and other relevant authorities have been informed of the matter via writing.

Noting that the top court has accepted the appeal, the team claimed that the state’s decision to seek implementation of fine through court is in violation of Article 56 of the Constitution which states that “everyone related to a matter has the right to appeal a conviction and sentence, or judgement or order in a criminal or civil matter”.

Further claiming that the purpose of this is “to change focus from bigger issues and bury corruption against senior government officials”, Yameen’s lawyers expressed concern over the violation of their client’s rights.

They also accused Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath of targeting and harassing the former president.

In response to this, AG Office said that the fact that a conviction has been appealed does not mean that the implementation of verdict will be automatically delayed. It said that for implementation to be delayed, such a order has to be issued.

While Yameen has been convicted of laundering USD one million through MMPRC during his presidency, additional cases against him are being investigated. Further, new charges were raised against him last year in relation to the leasing of Fuhgiri island for resort development.