Maldives’s Court on Monday found Former President of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen guilt in a corruption and money laundering case and sentenced to 11 years in jail.
The Court also fined him USD 5 million, according to the sources.In the nation’s largest-ever corruption scandal, former President Yameen was charged with receiving one million dollars stolen from state coffers.
Chief Judge Ahmed Shakeel in its judgement said that the money and documents suggest was transferred from Yoosuf Naeem’s account to Yameen’s personal account is questionable.
Yameen misused his authority by taking USD 1 million from a private business to help sell Aarah (a luxury resort) for development.
The charges state that Yameen accepted a $1 million bribe from former MP Yoosuf Naeem, who is also facing bribery accusations alongside Yameen.
Reportedly, the trial started in the Criminal Court on January 2 and wrapped up on November 30.
Due to Yameen’s status as the country’s leader at the time of the crime, the prosecution requested the maximum penalty possible for a conviction. The prosecution asked for a six-fold increase in the fine and 11 years in prison. But as the law allows for a maximum increase in the penalties of five times, the state asked to impose the highest fine permitted by the law.
Yoosuf Naeem was also found guilty of bribery in the judgement, and the prosecution demanded the maximum punishment for the former MP.
