Criminal Court of Maldives has ordered to place former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in custody until the end of trial on the money laundering charges raised by the state.
The Criminal Court ordered Yameen to be kept in custody during the first hearing on the money laundering case against the former president. The Criminal Court made the decision following the request by Prosecutor General’s Office saying Yameen may influence evidence and obstruct the investigation process.
During the hearing, in his defence, former President Yameen said he is unaware of the evidence presented to the investigation. The defence expressed no authority has declared the funds deposited to Yameen’s account are funds from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). The defence added if he is influencing the evidence, the state must raise charges of obstruction of justice against Yameen. Following the court order, the former president was taken to Maafushi Prison.
President of People’s National Congress (PNC) Abdul Raheem Abdulla said former President Yameen was arrested to influence the upcoming parliamentary elections, adding he can be prisoned, but the developmental ideology cannot be abolished.
Prosecutor General's Office pressed criminal charges against former President Yameen on money laundering on February 13. The charges were pressed following the statement submitted to Prosecutor General's Office by Maldives Police Service, accusing the former president of money laundering and giving false statements to mislead an investigation.
In a statement, the police stated relevant authorities have informed about the money laundering scheme which deposited large sums of the money laundered MMPRC to a bank account opened under the name of the former president at Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB).
Meanwhile, the police has also requested the Prosecutor General to press charges against former Minister of Legal Affairs at President's Office Aishath Azima Shakoor, for being an accessory to money laundering and giving false statements to state authorities to mislead an investigation. Following the request, Prosecutor General's Office has raised criminal charges against Azima Shakoor.
Furthermore, in the statement, the police added it has acquired evidence to support the claim the perpetrators of the crime deposited money from SOF Private Limited's bank account to a bank account opened under the name of the former president at MIB and therefore, instructed the former president to return the funds to the state, but to no avail. The police stated instead the funds were rotated and used to generate profit.