Maafushi Prison brought under state of emergency, Ex-Pres Yameen's transfer delayed indefinitely

Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has revealed that a date for Former President Abdulla Yameen's transfer to Maafushi Prison has not yet been decided.

Yameen was transferred to house arrest on 29 April, after some officers at the Maafushi Prison complex were tested positive for Covid-19. He was among the high-risk convicts transferred to house arrest for their own safety.

Commissioner of Prisons Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu had earlier revealed that discussions were held on transferring the convicts who were moved to house arrest, back to Maafushi Prison after the Eid-Al-Adha holidays.

At a time it was revealed that the discussions are underway, Maafushi Prison was brought under a state of emergency after a corrections officer contracted coronavirus.

Media official at the corrections department told RaajjeMV that the state of emergency will not be lifted any time soon, thus, it cannot be confirmed when Yameen can be transferred back to prison.

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.

He is currently being tried for fresh new charges in connection to the leasing of Fuggiri island in Raa atoll, for which the trial is ongoing.