High Court of Maldives has ordered the release of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Previously, on February 18, the Criminal Court of Maldives ordered to place former president in custody until the end of trial on the money laundering charges raised by the state. The Criminal Court made the decision following the request by Prosecutor General’s Office saying Yameen may influence evidence and obstruct the investigation process.
However, overturning the order, the High Court said the state has not provided enough evidence that Yameen may influence evidence and obstruct the investigation process. Therefore, the High Court ruled Yameen must be released.
The High Court ordered the release of the former president at a time he was placed in house arrest, citing recommendations from his doctors. The court had also changed the judge’s bench, removing the judges who initially began reviewing the case appealed on behalf of the former president.
Prosecutor General's Office pressed criminal charges against former President Yameen on money laundering. The charges came in the wake of a statement from Maldives Police Service, accusing the former president of money laundering and giving false statements to mislead an investigation.
In the statement, the police also revealed it has found out the person who committed the money laundering scheme deposited a large sum of the money laundered from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) to a bank account opened under the name of the former president at Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB).
The police added it has acquired evidence to support the claim the perpetrators of the crime deposited the 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 being rotated and used to generate profit.