The Criminal Court of the Maldives has sentenced former President Abdulla Yameen to 11 years in prison after finding him guilty of charges of money laundering and accepting bribes in relation to the lease of Aarah, Vaavu Atoll, for resort development through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
Former President Yameen was given a seven-year prison sentence and a USD5 million fine for money laundering. The court has ordered him to pay the amount to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) within six months. He was also given five years for accepting bribes. Former Parliamentarian Yoosuf Naeem was given three years, two months, and 12 days in prison for offering bribes.
The Criminal Court stated that the evidence has shown that Yameen received a bribe, as USD1 million was deposited to his bank account through a cheque from Naeem, and that Yameen had invested the amount while knowing it was given as a bribe. The court further highlighted that the Constitution of the Maldives does not allow a President to participate in business transactions and that the evidence has shown that the amount was deposited into Yameen's bank account while he was holding discussions to lease Aarah to a company that Naeem has a stake in.