Terror charges raised against ex-President Gayoom

Terror charges have been raised on nine individuals including detained former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed over allegedly attempting to overthrow the government.

Others terror suspects are: Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, the former president's son MP Faris Maumoon, son-in-law Mohmaed Nadheem, former police commisioner Ahmed Areef, MPs Abdulla Sinan, Abdulla Riyaz, and Ilham Ahmed.

A statement released by the Prosecutor General's office reads that the verdict was reached after having investigated the ruling issued by the Supreme Court on the 01st of February releasing nine political leaders, which is deemed to have been planned.

Justice Hameed has been indicted for the felony of accepting bribes along with terror charges.

While Chief Judicial Administrator Hassan Saeed has been put on trial for accepting bribes and obstruction of authorities, Jumhooree Party (JP)'s leader Gasim Ibrahim's son Ibrahim Siyad had also been charged over bribery allegations.

Additional charges raised on Gayoom and Justices Hameed and Saeed include attempting to hide evidence for their refusal to abide police orders to hand over their mobile phones.

The PG office looked 'seriously' into the discoveries of the police investigations before reaching the verdicts including the MVR 350,000 and a black bag containing USD 3,300 under Hassan Saeed's bed from a search at his residence and a letter signed by Villa Shipping's Managing Director, Ibrahim Siyad.

The letter allegedly contained information of US 2.4 million paid for foreign properties allegedly meant for Justice Saeed, Justice Hameed's son Ahmed Misfir, and Hassan Saeed's ex-wife Aishath Hana.

Police say it found Siyad's fingerprints on the letter.

According to the PG office, the supreme court ruling issued on the 01st of February releasing nine political leaders was planned in exchange for money.

Gayoom was arrested mere hours after the state of emergency was imposed, along with his son-in-law Nadheem after having broken down the door to their residence while Justices Hameed and Saeed were forcefully arrested at the Supreme Court building.