Verdict in Yameen’s appeal slated for tomorrow

High Court has scheduled the verdict in the appeal filed by former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom of his money laundering and bribery conviction in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for tourism development for Thursday.

The verdict will be delivered in the afternoon – however, no time has been specified on the High Court’s website.

Yameen, who served as Maldivian leader from 2013-2018, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for money laundering and bribery charges in connection to the sale of V. Aarah on December 26, 2022.

He was transferred from Maafushi Prison to his home in Male’ City on October 1, the day after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, backed by Yameen, won the presidential election runoff. The then-president-elect had appealed for Yameen’s release to home from then-president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Short of a week into President Muizzu’s administration, Yameen left PPM, and initiated efforts to form a new party – the People’s National Front (PNF).

Maldives Correctional Service later eased the terms of his home confinement, to allow him to leave the house for exercise and other such purposes.

Yameen has repeatedly violated the terms of his home confinement by attending political events despite which no action has been taken against him by Corrections.

National Integrity Commission is presently investigating Corrections failure to take action against Yameen.

Freeing Yameen has been one of President Muizzu’s main electoral pledges. He has strongly criticized President Muizzu and his administration for his continued home confinement.

President Muizzu has recently remarked that he remains true to his pledge. Affirming he does not influence the judiciary, the President said Yameen’s independence remains in the hands of the judiciary.