MP Qasim sentenced to three years, two months and 12 days
Sentenced in absentia
MP Qasim led out of Court earlier in t
Maamigili Constituency MP Qasim Ibrahim has been sentenced to a jail term of three years, two months and 12 days on attempted bribery charges.
With the sentencing, the Parliamentarian has effectively lost his Parliament seat.
Criminal Court had set the hearings of the charges for Thursday. Earlier on Thursday morning, the Court heard the statements, with the Court concluding the hearings and announcing that summary charges will be announced later in the afternoon.However, MP Qasim had fainted while in Court, while he was heading towards the Court room for the hearings. He was rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGHM) where he was given emergency treatment.
Cardiologist Dr. Ali Shafeeq released a letter after observing the Parliamentarian, stating that the MP needed to be flown abroad for several cardiac tests that are not available in the Maldives.
Dr. Ali Shafeeq said the Electro-Physiology Studies (EPS) and Radio Frequency Ablation (ARF) needed to be carried out on the Parliamentarian. Any delays, the letter said, may result in life threatening arrhythmia.
Bribery charges were first raised on MP Qasim on April 12th. The case was thrown out of Court on July 10th, after prosecution lawyers had failed to attend the hearing.
The case was opened again on July 12th, after Criminal Court had thrown out the case. In the hearing of the case on July 25th, Judge Adam Arif had decreed that the charges can be linked to the previous one and that the hearings can proceed ahead.
MP Qasim was admitted to hospital due to a cardiac condition twice before.
