Yameen faces possible legal action after he skips court hearing to fly to Dhidhdhoo

The Criminal Court has warned that former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom faces possible legal action, after he flew to HA. Dhidhdhoo on Monday after skipping a hearing.

A hearing had been scheduled at the Criminal Court at 02:30 pm Monday, in a money laundering and bribery case against Yameen.

However, the former president has traveled out of Male’ to attend an award ceremony in Dhidhdhoo.

A spokesperson from the Criminal Court said the hearing was cancelled after Yameen failed to attend the hearing.

The spokesperson said that Yameen failed to provide an acceptable reason for his failure to attend court and travelled out of Male’ without the court’s permission.

This is grounds for legal action, said the spokesperson.

Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, a member of Yameen’s legal team, denied flouting the court’s rules.

The former Maldivian vice president said that Yameen has always cooperated with courts.

And we followed standard protocol in this, he added, without elaborating.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2022, on charges of bribery and money laundering in connection to the sale of V. Aarah. The High Court overturned the conviction on April 18, 2024, citing major legal irregularities.

But instead of a full exoneration, the court overturned the two convictions and ordered a retrial in the case.

However, the retrial has been put on hold until the Supreme Court makes a decision on the appeal filed regarding admittance of new evidence.

Yameen’s acquittal in the Aarah case had marked the second time for a court to overturn a conviction against the former Maldivian leader. In 2021, the Supreme Court overturned a five-year sentence issued against him for money laundering in connection to the sale of GA. Vodamulla – another island which was leased for resort development during his administration.

The conviction in the Aarah case had disqualified Yameen from contesting the 2023 presidential elections. Though he initially asked the then-opposition PPM-PNC (Progressive Party of Maldives-People’s National Congress) coalition to boycott the election, he later endorsed President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, who won the vote taken by the coalition’s joint senate to produce a backup candidate.

Yameen was transferred home on October 1, 2023 – a day after President Muizzu won the presidential election.

But less than a week after President Muizzu took office in November, Yameen left the ruling PPM-PNC and initiated efforts to form a new party, the People’s National Front (PNF).

He later grew increasingly vocal in his criticism of President Muizzu’s administration, and has repeatedly alleged that President Muizzu and other members of the PPM-PNC leadership had never wanted him freed.