Hearing on two counts of charges against ex-VP cancelled for fourth consecutive time

A hearing on two counts of charges raised against former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor was cancelled for the fourth consecutive time on Tuesday.

The hearing was set to begin at 2pm on Tuesday at the Criminal Court, and the court did not disclose a reason for the cancellation.

The court earlier scheduled three hearings in the corruption charges, on 14, 21 and 26 January, all three were cancelled.

The first preliminary hearing in the case was held on 7 November 2019, during which seven counts of charges raised against Adeeb were detailed.

The hearing was regarding a charge of using his position unduly and charges of money-laundering. Several counts of terrorism charges have also been raised against the former Vice President.

The ex-VP had earlier stressed on the importance of making arrangements to broadcast his hearings on live television as he believes the case of graft involving the state-run Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) is closely linked to the people.

However, the Criminal Court denied this request.

While the case was lodged at the Criminal Court during September 2019, new charges of corruption were raised on the ex-VP for a failed attempt at fleeing via an Indian tugboat. He was sentenced to three months and 18 days over the issue, and the sentence has now been completed.

The former VP remains in police custody owing to a court order to keep him in remand until the cases of corruption against him, conclude.

Adeeb attempted to flee during August 2019 while he was on medical leave at a time, he had been transferred under house arrest due to his deteriorating health.

Adeeb was serving a 33-year sentence on several counts of terrorism; embezzling USD five million owed to the state as the acquisition cost of Maabinhuraa island of Lhaviyani Atoll, being in possession of a weapon and involvement in the presidential speedboat blast during ex-President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.