Adeeb to appear before court for violation of travel ban

Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor is scheduled to appear at Criminal Court for the preliminary hearing in the case against him for travelling out of Maldives in violation of a travel ban this Tuesday.

Adeeb had travelled out of Maldives on tugboat Virgo 9 disguised as a crew member on July 27, but was intercepted by Indian authorities at the Tuticorin Port on August 1. He was expelled from India, and was brought back to Maldives on August 4.

He has been charged with obstruction of law enforcement, and is scheduled to appeal before court for the preliminary hearing in the case at 11:30 am this Tuesday.

At Adeeb’s remand hearing on August 4, the court found Adeeb had been arrested outside of Maldivian jurisdiction and therefore in violation of due process. He was released, but re-arrested a few hours later after the court issued a new arrest warrant against him.

At the remand hearing, Adeeb claimed he fled Maldives because his life had been in danger due to his cooperation with law enforcement agencies to testify against powerful politicians.

The travel ban which Adeeb violated had been imposed on him by the Supreme Court after the State filed an appeal over his acquittal for embezzling USD 5 million paid by Kuredu Holdings to Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) as acquisition cost for Lh. Maabinhuraa.

Adeeb was originally ordered to jail pending the outcome of the appeal proceedings, but is currently under house arrest at instructions of his doctor.

He is under surveillance by police and has been made to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.

He also recently testified against former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in the money laundering case against him.