The Supreme Court of the Maldives has upheld the ruling issued by the High Court of the Maldives to unfreeze former President Abdulla Yameen’s bank accounts.
The Criminal Court of the Maldives had ordered to freeze Yameen’s bank accounts in relation to the embezzlement and money laundering charges pressed against him. However, the High Court overturned the ruling and ordered to release the accounts. The order was subsequently appealed at the Supreme Court by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO).
During the last hearing of the appeal, Supreme Court Justice Husnu Suood endorsed the High Court ruling, stating Yameen’s bank accounts cannot be frozen as requested by the state. He said Maldives Police Service (MPS) has not been able to prove there are any links with the funds in the 8 accounts opened under Yameen’s name at Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) and the funds embezzled through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). Therefore, he said the accounts cannot be frozen, with respect to the Banking Act and the Criminal Procedure Act.
The statement by Justice Husnu Suood was endorsed by Justice Azmiralda Zahir and Justice Aisha Shujune Mohamed, who made up the rest of the judges’ bench which oversaw the appeal. Thereby, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court ruling and ordered to unfreeze Yameen’s bank accounts.
Former President Yameen is currently serving a 5-year prison sentence after being convicted of laundering USD 1 million which was acquired through MMPRC as a bribe for leasing an island for tourism development. PGO has also pressed additional money laundering charges against him in relation to funds acquired through the lease of another island. Trial proceedings of the new charges are underway at the Criminal Court.