Najma Ibrahim, an employee at the office of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and Mohamed Azmee, a member of Gayoom’s personal security team, have been released from incarceration.

They were released by the Criminal Court upon being presented before the judge for their remand hearing on Wednesday, as the court did not have sufficient evidence or a reason to further keep them in detention.

Najma and Azmee were arrested under accusations of distributing and offering bribes to Members of Parliament in a bid to overthrow the current administration. Their arrest order added that given the circumstances, Najma and Azmee presented a risk to the public and posed the risk of destroying evidence and intimidating potential witnesses as well as hindering investigations.

Maldives Police Service had even claimed that they had found a black bag during the police raid in her residence prior to her arrest. According to police, the black bag contained evidence of a conspiracy to overthrow the government of incumbent President Abdulla Yameen.

Gayoom’s office had called on authorities to release Najma and Azmee on numerous occasions.