The legal team of former President Abdulla Yameen has requested the Criminal Court of the Maldives to reject some of the witnesses presented by the state in the ongoing trial on the bribery and money laundering charges pressed against him.
On June 28 last year, the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) pressed new charges against the jailed former president over the corrupt lease of Fuhgiri, Raa Atoll for resort development through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). Yameen is accused of using his influence as the president to seek a bribe of USD 1.1 million and laundering the money.
Earlier this month, the PGO presented 86 pieces of evidence, including witnesses and documentational evidence, to support the charges pressed against former President Yameen. The witnesses presented by the state include former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, former Managing Director of MMPRC Abdulla Ziyath, Leader of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) Ahmed Siyam Mohamed and Deputy Leader of MDA Ali Mauroof.
During the hearing held on August 22, the lawyers of former President Yameen requested the court to reject some of the witnesses presented by the state, namely Adeeb and Ziyath. The legal team of the former president noted witness statements from Adeeb and Ziyath would be unreliable as they are both serving prison sentences after being convicted of crimes.
Furthermore, the legal team of the former president also objected to the request by the state for a ruling to not allow Yameen to view some of the forensic evidence before coming to the hearing. The state attorneys said the request was made to protect some of the information in the forensic report from being leaked, as it would compromise the investigation and leak personal information of several people. However, Yameen’s attorneys objected to the request, calling the reason invalid.
Former President Yameen is already serving a 5-year prison sentence, after the Criminal Court found him guilty of laundering USD 1 million received as the acquisition cost for the lease of Vodamula, Gaafu Alifu Atoll for resort development through MMPRC. In addition, Maldives Police Service (MPS) has forwarded additional charges against the former president over the embezzlement of USD 1 million during the lease of Aarah, Vaavu Atoll for resort development through MMPRC.