Ex-VP Adeeb to be freed in 15 days

The correctional service has stated that former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb began serving his 15-day prison sentence on Thursday night.

Correction’s media official Ahmed Naseem told RaajjeMV that they received report of Adeeb’s 15-day sentence over contempt of court on Thursday night.

The sentence is in relation to Adeeb disobeying a Criminal Court judge at a hearing in January 2018.

Timeline of Adeeb’s sentences:

5 June 2016:

The Ciminal Court, in a closed-door hearing, sentenced Adeeb to 10 years in prison on terrorism-related charges over possession of a pistol on June 5, 2016.

After the High Court backed the verdict, the Supreme Court accepted Adeeb’s appeal and, on May 27 this year, overturns the verdict.

The bench of three judges statedthat the verdict was not based on any evidence and that the state has also admitted to failing to provide any evidence to support the claim that Adeeb had possessed a weapon.

9 June 2016

The Criminal Court sentenced Adeeb to 15 years in prison on June 9, 2016, after being found guilty of involvement in the presidential speedboat blast.

On May 20 this year, the High Court overturned the verdict and ordered a retrial.

In its decision to nullify the conviction,the High Court cited the controversial orderissued by the Supreme Court on 1st February 2018, which ordered the release of nine high-profile political prisoners including Adeeb.

The High Court stated that 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.”

23 June 2016

On June 23, 2016, Adeeb was sentenced to eight years over the embezzlement of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

Adeeb was found guilty of embezzling USD five million owed to the state as the acquisition cost of Maabinhuraa in Lhaviyani atoll, after leasing Kurehdhoo Holdings through MMMPRC.

On May 30 this year,the High Court overturned the verdictand ordered a retrial, citing the Supreme Court order on February 1. The court stated that certain clauses of the order were annulled shortly after, but that clauses regarding politically motivated verdicts still remains and that there was the possibility of both the defendant and judges being influenced in the case.

30 January 2018

On January 30, 2018, Adeeb was sentenced to 15 days in prison after being found guilty of contempt of court at a hearing over charges of bribery and influence.

While Adeeb has been recently freed of the prison sentences totaling 33 years, he has just begun serving his 15-day sentence, since according to the law, convicts are required to serve their largest sentence first.

Due to his ill health, Adeeb is currently under house arrest, and will finish serving his sentence on June 13.