The Criminal Court of Maldives has found former President Abdulla Yameen guilty of corruption and money laundering charges related to the sale of resort development acquisition and leasing rights to Vaavu Atoll Aarah.
In the verdict trial held at the Criminal Court today, the court declared that there was sufficient proof that the money used to bribe former President Yameen was deposited to his account by former MP Yoosuf Naeem. Moreover, Yameen then invested the money into his Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) Account to clean the illicit funds.
The state had pressed charges of money laundering and accepting bribes against former President Yameen in relation to the lease of Aarah for resort development through Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
The island was leased to a private company after it was taken back and handed over to Felidhoo Island Council in 2015. The island was later handed over to 2G Maldives Private Limited, 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 MMPRC.
