Former President Abdulla Yameen’s Fuhgiri trial will now be live streamed after witnesses testify, according to the Criminal Court of the Maldives. Yameen is facing charges of seeking a bribe of USD1.3 million to lease Fuhgiri to City Island Holdings Limited, facilitated by Ahmed Krik Riza. The state has also accused Yameen of laundering USD1.1 million of the bribe through Sun Investment Private Limited and Sun Construction Engineering Private Limited.
During the first hearing conducted via video conferencing, Yameen’s defense team requested that the court halt further hearings until the Supreme Court concludes an appeal case regarding state evidence submitted against Yameen. While state prosecutors did not object to the request, presiding Judge Ali Nadheem noted that the Fuhgiri case has been pending for three years and questioned why the defense team had not prepared their opening statement. He further added that the appeal case will have no impact on the Fuhgiri trial and ordered that the opening statement will be heard in the next hearing.
Yameen, during the hearing, requested the court to live stream the trial as he seeks to prove to the public that the charges against him are false. The presiding judge agreed to live stream the trial after the witness testimonies, to prevent undue influence. The next hearing has been scheduled for April 30.
