Adeeb transferred to house arrest, on electronic tag

Jailed Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has been transferred to house arrest on an electronic tag, fitted to his leg.

Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) revealed that the transfer follows recommendation from Adeeb’s doctor and that the transfer was made on Wednesday night. The electronic tag, fitted to his leg will allow surveillance of his actions, revealed MCS.

While the ex-VP was granted medical leave in June, it was approved after he signed an agreement with the Prosecutor General’s office guaranteeing his cooperation with authorities in the investigation regarding Maldives Marketing and Public Relation Corporation (MMPRC) embezzlement scandal.

However, Adeeb had attempted to flee while his passport was withheld at the beginning of August and Maldives security officials had returned him to Maldives two days later. He was remanded by 15 days and on 8 August, Supreme Court ordered his remand until the state’s appeal case in the embezzlement case concludes.

In May 2019, High Court had overturned an eight-year conviction against him after he was found guilty of embezzling state coffers as the acquisition cost of an island in Lhaviyani atoll, to his personal account After this, state appealed the High Court decision at Supreme Court in June.

During the hearings in the case, state appealed on the judge to remand him for remainder of the trial as he was a “threat to national security” and posed a flight risk.