The Supreme Court of the Maldives has requested the state to provide justification for defending the Criminal Court’s decision to hand out a minimum prison sentence along with a maximum fine to former President Abdulla Yameen.
In November 2019, the Criminal Court sentenced former President Yameen to 5 years in prison along with a fine of USD 5 million, after finding him guilty of laundering USD 1 million embezzled from the state through the lease of Vodamula, Gaafu Alifu Atoll for resort development. The legal team of the former president has appealed the sentence at the Supreme Court.
During the appeal hearing held on September 23, Supreme Court Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir requested the state attorneys to clarify their reason for defending the Criminal Court’s decision to hand out the minimum prison sentence along with the maximum fine. In response, the state attorneys said the judge was within his right to choose a prison sentence between 5-15 years, and impose a fine not larger than 5 times the laundered amount. The state said it had requested the minimum prison sentence and maximum fine, to retrieve the money lost by the state through the corruption scandal.
Former President Yameen had been ordered to pay up the fine to Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) within 6 months of the sentence. However, the fine has still not been paid. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) had revealed a request has been submitted to the Civil Court last month to enforce the fine on Yameen.