Criminal Court of Maldives has announced a verdict will be issued on the money laundering case against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on November 5.
Following the conclusion of the hearing held on Wednesday to allow the prosecution and the defence to present the summarised statements regarding the case, Judge Ahmed Hailam revealed a session would be scheduled for November 5 to issue a verdict.
During the last hearing, state prosecutors maintained they have proved beyond doubt the defendant is guilt in reference to the witnesses testimonies and the evidence presented to the court. During the trial, the state named former President of ACC Hassan Luthufee, current President of ACC Muavviz Rasheed, former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, former Minister of Tourism Moosa Zameer, former Managing Director of MMPRC Abdulla Ziyath and Deputy CEO of Bank of Maldives (BML) Mohamed Shareef and board member of BML Mohamed Luveiz as witnesses’ against Yameen.
However, the lawyers of the former president expressed the case was not presented following suitable investigations, adding the state had not presented enough evidence to pronounce the defendant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Further, they claimed the testimonies presented to the court should not be considered as the witnesses are not reliable. They said some witnesses are in state custody and expressed there is a chance their testimonies can be influenced.
During the session that went on for several hours, supports of the former president gathered near the Criminal Court to voice concern regarding the trail. They claim the trial is politically motivated. All hearing sessions held at the court were broadcast by television for the first time in recent history.
Prosecutor General's Office pressed criminal charges against Yameen on money laundering, in the wake of a statement from Maldives Police Service, accusing the former president of money laundering and giving false statements to mislead an investigation. The police revealed it has found out the person who committed the money laundering scheme by depositing a large sum of the money laundered from MMPRC to a bank account opened under the name of the former president at Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB).
The state said Yameen had transferred an unrelated USD 1 million to an escrow account opened at Bank of Maldives (BML) under an agreement he signed with Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after fabricating that it was the same USD 1 million which was transferred to his dollar account by SOF Private Limited.
However, the state revealed the funds deposited to an escrow account were from a close ally of Yameen, former Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer. The state has accused Yameen had kept the USD 1 million in a saving account and had generated profits.