High Court of the Maldives has registered the appeal lodged by former President Abdulla Yameen over the USD3.4 million fine he is required to pay within six months for money laundering.
Criminal Court of the Maldives on December 25 sentenced former President 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 the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). He appealed the verdict in the High Court on February 21. The USD 5 million fine included a USD 3.4 million fine for money laundering and USD 1.6 million fine for bribery. Yameen on March 13 appealed the USD 3.4 million fine with the High Court. The 11-year sentence against him has also been appealed with the High Court, though the court has yet to register the appeal.
Furthermore, another case is ongoing in Criminal Court where former President Yameen is charged with seeking a bribe of USD1.3 million to lease Fuhgiri to City Island Holdings Limited, which was facilitated by Ahmed Krik Riza. The state has accused Yameen of laundering USD1.1 million of the bribe through Sun Investment Private Limited and Sun Construction Engineering Private Limited.