PG withdraws former VP Adeeb's case in SC

The Prosecutor General’s Office has withdrawn the appeal motion filed against former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor with the Supreme Court.

The appeal had been filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office following the High Court’s decision to overturn an eight-year prison sentence issued against Adeeb by Criminal Court in 2016 for embezzling a USD 5 million bank cheque issued by Kuredu Holdings to Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) as acquisition cost to develop a resort in Lh. Maabinhura.

The Criminal Court, though the High Court issued the acquittal with instructions for a retrial, pushed the case out of court citing lack of ground to hold a new trial.

The Supreme Court announced this Thursday that it has cancelled the appeal form following the Prosecutor General’s Office to withdraw the case after Adeeb signed a plea bargain confessing to seven fresh charges which have been filed against him at the Criminal Court.

As per the plea bargain, Adeeb will serve a reduced sentence of 20 years in prison when he confesses to the seven new charges.

The charges include; two money laundering charges, two influence peddling charges, two charges of aiding and abetting embezzlement, and an abuse of power charge.

Adeeb had previously been serving three long-term prison sentences; a 15-year sentence over the explosion onboard the presidential speedboat, Finifenma, in 2015; a 10-year sentence for possession of a firearm; and the eight-year sentence for embezzling the USD 5 million acquisition cost for Maabinhura.

However, the 15-year sentence in the Finifenma explosion case was overturned and ordered for a retrial by High Court on May 20; the 10-year sentence for possession of a firearm was overturned by the Supreme Court on May 27; and the last sentence – the eight-year sentence for embezzlement was overturned and ordered for a retrial by High Court on May 30.