President Abdulla Yameen has said he still hasn’t received financial compensation for his unlawful arrest during Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration.

During the ceremony to celebrate the completion of land reclamation project of Eydhafushi island in Baa Atoll, the President said the courts had ruled that the arrest was unlawful.

“I still haven’t received compensation owed by the State. All the courts have ruled that my arrest was against legal procedures. The State still owes me compensation. I still haven’t got it. People outside of the country have also claimed that their punishments were arbitrary. Perhaps it’s because they have not received an uninhabited island that they had asked for.”

President Yameen also insisted on the need to obtain money needed for the State for development of the islands, which he said could only be achieved when people pay what they owe to the State.

He claimed that, even if the State receives half of what its owed, it would be enough to finance all the development projects in Eydhafushi.

He also claimed that around USD 15m had been spent to try to get money from him, but that his administration goes through the appropriate institutions to do the same, which he said is different from oppressing or negotiating.

While the courts had ruled that President Yameen’s arrest during the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s administration was unlawful, he has not filed a case to receive compensation.