MP Qasim Ibrahim’s ‘pledge’ to aid potential candidates that run for future elections by acquiring them party tickets and providing campaign benefits was not a lawful promise, the Criminal Court deemed in its verdict against him on Thursday.

The Jumhooree Party leader has been sentenced to three years, two months, and 12 days in prison over the bribery allegations made against him.

The parliamentarian was charged under Section 510 of the Penal Code – on bribery and official misconduct – claiming that he had attempting to influence the authority of a public official.

Specifically, the verdict passed against Qasim states that he had attempted to sway sitting parliamentarians to vote in favour of his agenda by making promises to them – which included guaranteeing party tickets in the next elections. The verdict implies that the mere statement of such a promise, whether it is fulfilled or not, is grounds of sanctions.

He was prosecuted for having said this in a speech at Kunooz, his party’s headquarters, ahead of a no-confidence motion against parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh. The prosecution said that he had attempted to bribe parliamentarians into supporting the motion.