The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has presented 86 pieces of evidence to support the charges pressed against former President Abdulla Yameen in relation to bribery and money laundering.
On June 28 last year, the PGO pressed new charges against the jailed former president over the corrupt lease of Fuhgiri, Raa Atoll for resort development through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). Yameen is accused of using his influence as the president to seek a bribe of USD 1.1 million and laundering the money.
During the hearing held on August 1, both the defendant and the state presented evidence to the court. The state presented 86 pieces of evidence, including witnesses and documentational evidence. Witnesses presented by the state include several former accomplices of Yameen, including former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, former Managing Director of MMPRC Abdulla Ziyath, Leader of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) Ahmed Siyam Mohamed and Deputy Leader of MDA Ali Mauroof.
Meanwhile, the defendant presented 5 witnesses and 33 documentational evidence to the court. As such, witnesses presented by the defendant include the current Deputy Mayor of Male’ City Ahmed Nareesh and Ahmed Krik Riza, who is accused of being the medium for the specified bribes.
Former President Yameen is already serving a 5-year prison sentence, after the Criminal Court of the Maldives found him guilty of laundering USD 1 million received as the acquisition cost for the lease of Vodamula, Gaafu Alifu Atoll for resort development through MMPRC. In addition, Maldives Police Service (MPS) has forwarded additional charges against the former president over the embezzlement of USD 1 million during the lease of Aarah, Vaavu Atoll for resort development through MMPRC.