The Criminal Court of the Maldives has obtained the statement of a witness presented by the state in the money laundering trial against former President Abdulla Yameen in relation to the lease of Aarah, Vaavu Atoll for resort development under his administration.
During the hearing held on June 30, the Criminal Court obtained the statement of a witness who was working at the legal section of the Ministry of Tourism in 2015, when Aarah was leased for resort development through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). The witness described the corruption in the lease of islands under the Yameen administration, noting companies were being selected for the award of resort development projects before islands are even allocated.
The state has pressed charges of money laundering and accepting bribes against former President Yameen in relation to the lease of Aarah for resort development through MMPRC. The prosecution has submitted a total of 13 pieces of evidence in the case, while the defendant has submitted 7 pieces of evidence. Some of the evidence submitted by former President Yameen include documents on the communications between him and former Parliamentarian Yoosuf Naeem, who has been charged with bribery in the case. Other documents submitted by the defence include a statement by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and some documents from the President’s Office.
Aarah had been leased to a private company when it was taken back and handed over to Felidhoo Island Council in 2015. The island was later handed over to a company called 2G Maldives, before leasing the island again to a foreign company. The embezzlement of funds acquired from the lease of Aarah was uncovered during the investigation of the corruption scandal of MMPRC.