Bassam’s charge amended to seek harsher sentence

The charges against former Football Association of Maldives (FAM) president Bassam Adeel Jaleel have been amended to seek a harsher sentence, following revelations that the embezzled funds may have included money provided by FIFA.

Bassam was convicted on October 8 for embezzling FAM funds and sentenced to four years in prison. He was found guilty of depositing USD 10,000, originally provided by FIFA, into his personal account under the pretense of exchanging it for Maldivian Rufiyaa, but failed to return the equivalent amount. A fake paper trail was created to suggest the exchange had occurred.

He is currently facing additional charges in the Criminal Court, including allegations that he misused USD 1.2 million from FAM to purchase an apartment in Amin Avenue through Amin Construction. The prosecution has now amended the charge sheet to include embezzlement of FIFA funds.

The legal adjustment centers on the value of the embezzled property. Initially, the offense was classified under Article 210(b)(2) of the Penal Code, which applies when the value is MVR 50,000 or more, or involves specific property types like vehicles or vessels. This constitutes a fourth-degree felony, carrying a basic sentence of one year, seven months, and six days.

However, the prosecution now argues that the value exceeds MVR 500,000, warranting reclassification under Article 210(b)(1), a third-degree felony. This carries a more severe basic sentence of three years, two months, and 12 days.

Bassam’s defense team objected to the amendment, but the court allowed the prosecution to proceed. The verdict on related money laundering charges is still pending.

The broader investigation into FAM, launched in October 2023, uncovered multiple incidents of corruption, including misuse of a FIFA loan intended to support football clubs.