Court to issue verdict in Yameen's account freeze appeal on Sunday

The High Court will issue its verdict in the appeal case filed by former President Abdulla Yameen, over the decision to freeze two bank accounts linked to him, on Sunday.

The hearing is set for 2pm; a verdict hearing was previously set for March 7, but was cancelled.

Police revealed, in December 2018, that the bank accounts linked to the former president with more than MVR 100 million had been frozen.

In a statement, police said that it was “investigating reports forwarded by state institutions that allege former president Abdulla Yameen conducted illicit financial transactions while he was president.”

The first and last hearing in the case was held in February, behind closes doors despite public outrage.

While Yameen has been charged with money-laundering, Criminal Court had issued a court order to detain him until end of the trial.

Prosecutors had accused Yameen of witness tampering, noting that he had attempted to influence witnesses by offering them money to change their statements.

However, High Court released him on Thursday, noting that the maximum period of detention in such a case, is 30 days; which expired on March 18.

Following his release, Yameen complained that he has not been able to “touch” any of the funds collected for the parliamentary campaign.

Noting that the funds are yet to be released, Yameen noted that campaigning “has been difficult in such circumstances.”