Additional hearing scheduled for Thursday in Yameen's sentence appeal trial

An additional hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, in the trial of Incarcerated Former President Abdulla Yameen’s prison sentence appealed at the Supreme Court.

Monday’s hearing in the ongoing trial focused on detailing the remaining appeal points in connection to the case.

However, due to time constraints the defendant was unable to go through all of the appeal points, in light of which another hearing has been scheduled for the end of the week.

Judge Mahaz Ali Zahir had highlighted that if the defendant wishes, they may also proceed with a decision regarding the ex-president’s request to delay the execution of his prison sentence. However, his legal team had asserted that they would inform the court of a decision later on, after discussions.

Both the defendant and state attorneys had presented new evidence in connection to the appeal case of Yameen’s prison sentence. As such, during Sunday’s trial Judge Zahir confirmed that the new evidence has been received and that the judges’ bench had not decided on accepting them during Sunday’s hearing.

The judges presiding over the case are Mahaz Ali Zahir, Azmiralda Zahir and Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim.

Yameen had presented a total of 22 appeal points in the case.

During Sunday’s hearing the ex-president requested the Supreme Court to grant his release on bail, and to delay the execution of his money laundering sentence.

The corruption trial against Yameen over the lease of R. Fuhgiri for resort development, is also ongoing. Further, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Presidential Inquiry Commission on Asset Recovery as well as the Maldives Police Service are currently conducting probes against the ex-president, regarding the MMPRC grand corruption case.

Further, the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) is currently preparing to take action against Yameen, for violating the conditions and terms of his house arrest.

In a Twitter post shortly after the ex-president took part of the opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM)’s rally staged outside of his home on Friday evening by waving the opposition flag from outside his window, Commissioner of Prisons, Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu revealed that the former president’s actions were in violation of the terms and conditions set for his house arrest.

This will be investigated, and action will be taken.

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. Yameen participated in Friday evening’s rally by gesturing to his supporters from an open window, waving the opposition and national flags as well as giving the protestors political messages of support.

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.