Abdulla Luthufee is the Maldives biggest traitor and he will not be pardoned, assures President Ibrahim Mohahmed Solih.

The president said this at a press conference held at the President’s Office on Thursday afternoon, where journalists bombarded him with questions of the country’s most wanted fugitive.

Luthufee- convicted and sentenced to life over the 1988 attempted coup that took the lives of 19 Maldivians- has been in hiding since being granted medical leave in 2010.

He turned himself in to the Maldives embassy in Colombo on May 1, after the neighboring country launched a nation-wide search following the Easter Sunday terror attacks. This was only revealed to the public on June 24.

President Solih said that the current administration has no intention to pardon him or grant him clemency, and that its highest priority is returning him to prison.

Noting that he was informed of Luthufee turning himself in to the Maldivian embassy in Sri Lanka on May 1, he said that their biggest priority has been ensuring his extradition.

He stated that the state does not want to take any rash decisions as it could give him an opportunity to flee again, adding that this is the reason that they want to ensure that all procedures are completed beforehand.

As such, President Solih said that Luthufee has been presented to Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who has since given the approval for his transfer.

However, the president said that an approval from its Attorney General Department is required for the procedure to be officially completed.

While the opposition claims that the state is working to pay a overstay fine of MVR 2.7 million to transfer him, President Solih agreed that there is an overstay fine as he had been in the neighboring country without a valid visa, but that the fine is around USD 3,000.

The president added that they will do everything necessary to ensure his return to prison, including purchasing a ticket and paying the said fine.