The Criminal Court of Maldives has sentenced former President Abdulla Yameen to 11 years in prison after being found 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 court sentenced Yameen to four years in prison for accepting a bribe. Moreover, he was also convicted of money laundering and sentenced to seven years in prison and fined USD 5 million, to be paid within six months. Yameen will serve a total of 11 years in prison.
Yousuf Naeem was also sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of bribery.
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 charges have now diminished Yameen’s chances of contesting in next year’s presidential election. The opposition said it would appeal the verdict in the High Court.
