State has been very caring towards Qasim, will be granted medical "over the next few days," says HM Azleen
Qasim was sentenced to three years, two months and 12 days in prison on bribery charges, last Thursday
Home Minister Ahmed Azleen leaves after visiting Qasim Ibrahim in IGMH
Minister of Home Affairs Ahmed Azleen has said that Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim- convicted of bribery- will be granted medical leave "over the next few days".
After local media outlets learned that Azleen had visited Qasim at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, the Ministry revealed that the Minister and newly appointed Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mohamed H. Shareef had visited Qasim, as special envoys of President Abdulla Yameen.
After his visit with Qasim, Minister Azleen spoke to the state media broadcaster, where he confirmed that he had visited Qasim on the President's request, adding that the President wanted to check on his well-being.
Despite the concerns over the state's delay in allowing Qasim medical leave, Azleen said that the state has been "very caring" towards Qasim.
He also added that Qasim will be allowed to travel abroad "within the next few days".
The Jumhooree Party leader and Maamigilli constituency MP was sentenced in absentia to three years, two months and 12 days in prison late Thursday night. He was unable to attend the sentencing hearing as he was admitted to hospital; he was taken there after collapsing in court earlier that day.
The Criminal Court ruling also ordered the relevant authorities to allow Qasim to travel abroad for the required medical treatment.
In a letter sent to Commissioner of Prisons Ahmed Shihan, Azleen had asked the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) to ensure that Qasim receives the adequate treatment, adding to allow him to bring in foreign specialist doctors "if it is taking too long to complete the necessary procedures".
However, Qasim's defence lawyer Hisan Hussain said that the state cannot order her client to bring in foreign doctors, emphasizing that the Court ruling "specifically orders to send him abroad".
While the Jumhooree Party leader has been receiving treatment for a lung and heart condition for most of his life, he had been admitted to hospital thrice this year, with doctors advising that he be sent abroad, as the medical attention he requires is not available in the Maldives.
His defence team had on multiple occasions revealed that the doctor's concerns had been shared with the court.
However, in the letter sent to the Commissioner of Prisons, Azleen had claimed that Qasim had not asked for medical leave abroad prior to the Criminal Court's verdict against him.
