The Criminal Court of the Maldives has commenced the trial of the money laundering charges pressed against former President Abdulla Yameen over the embezzlement of state funds through the lease of Aarah, Vaavu Atoll for tourism development.
Former President Yameen is facing charges of money laundering and accepting bribes over the Aarah case. The former president is accused of accepting USD 1 million as a bribe during the lease of Aarah and laundering the money.
During the first hearing of the trial, Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Ahmed Shakeel announced the dates for the preliminary hearings of the trial. As such, the judge announced the presentation of the charges will take place during the hearing scheduled for January 13, and the defendant’s response will be presented on January 27.
Aarah, which is located near Thinadhoo in Vaavu Atoll, had been leased to a private company when it was taken back and handed over to the Island Council of Vaavu Atoll Felidhoo in 2015. The island was later handed over to a company called 2G Maldives, before leasing the island again to a foreign company. The embezzlement of funds acquired from the lease of Aarah was uncovered during the investigation of the corruption scandal of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
Former President Yameen was recently freed from a 5-year prison sentence after the Supreme Court of the Maldives overturned the decision by the Criminal Court to convict Yameen of laundering USD 1 million received as the acquisition cost for the lease of Vodamula, Gaafu Alifu Atoll for resort development through MMPRC. However, he is also currently under trial for another case of money laundering and accepting USD 1.1 million in bribes for the lease of Fuhgiri, Raa Atoll, for resort development through MMPRC.