Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has denied negligence on their part in providing adequate medical care for jailed former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

MCS released a statement on Saturday, saying they had made arrangements in favorable ways for the jailed long-serving statesman ever since he was moved to Maafushi prison, adding that the cell he was being kept in facilitates all of his needs with no difficulties. Corrections further asserted that while a person was always present by Gayoom’s side, his wife Nasreena Ibrahim is allowed to visit him everyday to check on him and aid him with anything he needs ever since he was diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

According to MCS, they are providing easy access to doctors as well as the medication Gayoom is prescribed, during his time in incarceration, adding that they had in no way been negligent in providing medical attention to the jailed former statesman.

MCS further said that they had released the statement due to the various accusations made by Maumoon’s legal representatives following his transfer to Dhoonidhoo island’s detention facility and back again.

Gayoom was transferred to Dhoonidhoo island from Maafushi on Thursday following a health deterioration and transferred to Maafushi the following day.

Following this hasty transfer, one of Gayoom’s lawyers had described his treatment in jail as torture.

Gayoom was arrested following a nation-wide state of emergency declared by the incumbent President and his half-brother Abdulla Yameen on the 5th of February. While he has been found guilty of obstrucion, he is also being charged with terrorism for allegedly offering bribes to justices of the Supreme Court as well as offering bribes to lawmakers in a plot to overthrow the current administration. The former President is also being charged with influencing the Supreme Court to issue the ruling on the 01st of February that ordered the release of nine high-profile political prisoners and the reinstatement of 12 opposition Members of Parliament.

Gayoom is currently serving a prison sentence of one year, seven months and six days for the obstruction of justice for refusing to hand over his mobile phone to the police after his arrest.