Top court denies ex-Pres. release on bail, grants stay order on money laundering fine
Verdict will be heard before the court goes into recess
Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom
The Supreme Court has rejected incarcerated Former President Abdulla Yameen’s request to be released on bail and issued a stay order on the USD five million fine imposed him.
During the hearing held at the top court on Tuesday, all three justices presiding over the case, Mahaz Ali Zahir, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim ruled to grant a stay order on the former president’s money laundering fine as well as to reject his request to release him on bail. The court also decided against granting a stay order on the execution of his money laundering sentence.
Yameen had made a total of three submissions in the appeal case; to release him on bail, to grant a stay order on the execution of his money laundering sentence as well as presenting two new evidences.
Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison on 28 November 2019, after being found guilty of laundering USD one million through state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) via a private company, Scores of Flair, during his presidential tenure. He was given a fine totaling USD five million, to be settled within six months as well. Yameen
The state headed to the Civil Court after Yameen failed to pay up the fine imposed on him, on August 24. However, Yameen had appealed the conviction with the High Court, which ruled to uphold the Criminal Court’s decision, in January this year. The defendant’s attorneys stated that this was the reason the fine has not been settled yet.
The top court had also ordered all state institutions and agencies to refrain from taking the issue of the unsettled fine to any other court or institution, henceforth.
Justice Mahaz rejected the two witnesses presented by the defendant. He noted that releasing a person convicted of a crime, on bail would be in violation of laws, as there is no legal basis to do so. Justices Azmiralda and Ibrahim concurred.
While hearings in the case have concluded, Justice Mahaz noted that the justices bench will be issuing a verdict in regards to Yameen’s appeal case, before the court goes into recess, in 56 days’ time.
The appeal trial began at the Supreme Court on September 12. Yameen made 22 appeal points which were detailed throughout the course of hearings held.
