Appeal hearing in Adeeb's embezzlement case set for Tuesday
5 އޯގަސްޓު 2019 | ހޯމަ 09:11While the High Court had overturned his eight-year conviction this May, ordering a retrial, the state appealed the lower court decision at the Supreme Court in early June
Ahmed Adeeb
Supreme Court has scheduled an appeal hearing in the embezzlement case against former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, for Tuesday.
While the High Court had overturned his eight-year conviction this May, ordering a retrial, the state appealed the lower court decision at the Supreme Court in early June.
The appeal hearing is set for 10:15am, Tuesday.
Adeeb was convicted and sentenced to eight years in June 2016, after being found guilty of embezzling money owed to the state as the acquisition cost of Maabinhuraa in Lhaviyani atoll, after leasing Kurehdhoo Holdings through MMPRC, into his own personal account.
While the Prosecutor General (PG) Office had filed the case at the Criminal Court following the High Court retrial order, it rejected the case saying that proceeding with the case will be unlawful. The High Court order noted possibility of both the defendant and judges being influenced in the case.
The lower court also sent back 13 other cases related to Adeeb and the MMPRC embezzlement, as well as the appeal case filed following the decision to overturn his 15-year sentence over the explosion aboard the presidential speedboat.
The state then appealed the embezzlement case at the Supreme Court, seeking an arrest warrant and to withhold his passport. The court accepted the state’s case, and ordered authorities to confiscate his passport in July.
While the Supreme Court failed to issue and arrest warrant, he was caught trying to flee the country last week.
He was caught near India, where he sought asylum, but was rejected since he tried to enter through a non-sanctioned port in Thoothukudi and without valid documents; the asylum request was denied too, and he was handed over to Maldivian security officials on Saturday.
While he reached Maldives on Sunday night, he was presented to a remand hearing the same night. The Criminal Court refused to remand him, claiming “no grounds” to do so. Police obtained a new arrest warrant later, and he was arrested early Monday morning.
