Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Ahmed Shakeel has recused himself from the trial involving bribery and money laundering charges filed against former President Abdulla Yameen for the lease of Fuhgiri, Raa Atoll, through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). Chief Judge Shakeel recused himself after handing over the case to Judge Ali Nadheem.
The last hearing of the Fuhgiri trial was held in December 2021. Former President Yameen is charged with seeking a bribe of USD1.3 million to lease the island to City Island Holdings Limited, which was facilitated by Ahmed Krik Riza. The state accused Yameen of laundering USD1.1 million of the bribe through Sun Investment Private Limited and Sun Construction Engineering Private Limited.
Chief Judge Shakeel is still the presiding judge in the trial involving money laundering and bribery charges against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and former Parliamentarian Yoosuf Naeem over the lease of the Aarah, Vaavu Atoll. The hearing of the closing arguments was held in November and the sentencing hearing will be held before the end of December.