Court nullifies ex-VP's conviction over 'bomb plot'; orders a retrial

The High Court has nullified the terror conviction on former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, over the explosion aboard the presidential speedboat.

While Adeeb was sentenced to 15 years in June 2016, the Court on Monday ordered a new trial in the case.

Furthermore, the verdict ordered to keep the former VP in remand for 15 days, ordering the Prosecutor General to restart within the period.

However, the judge’s bench disagreed on this. Judge Mohamed Niyaz said that Adeeb should be remanded until the trial concludes, while the remaining two- Chief Judge Sujau Usman and Judge Hussain Shaheed- said that he should be detained for a period of 15 days.

While the former VP has been convicted to 33 years on multiple counts of corruption and terrorism, this was the longest of the sentences.

The High Court cited the controversial Supreme Court order, issued in February 2018, in its decision to nullify the conviction. It noted that the February 2018 order highlighted that the terror charges against political figures “are politically motivated, devoid of the rights guaranteed under the Constitution and against the Criminal Procedure Act.”

While this Supreme Court order was annulled shortly after, the High Court said that “this section of the verdict was not annulled.” It said that the Supreme Court had only annulled the section ordering the release of nine political figures.

Hence, the court noted that all such cases must be re-investigated, and ordered a retrial.

In addition to Adeeb, the High Court has nullified the conviction on his bodyguards- Ahmed Rikaz and Ahmed Amir- on Monday. A new trial has been ordered in their cases as well.

While the court has nullified one conviction against the former VP, the state asked the Supreme Court to overturn the guilty verdict against former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, over possession of a pistol, back in April, saying that there was "not enough evidence to find Adeeb guilty."