Police probe perjury by Male' Deputy Mayor Nareesh

Maldives Police Service, on Tuesday, revealed that they are probing Criminal Court’s judgment which ruled Male’ Deputy Mayor Ahmed Nareesh perjured.

Criminal Court’s judgment in the opposition leader, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s money laundering and bribery trial in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for resort development read that some witnesses produced by Yameen in his defense had perjured. One such witness, as per the judgment, is Nareesh.

A Police Spokesperson told Sun on Tuesday that that they were probing Criminal Court’s decision following which the necessary actions will be taken.

“If there is any legal basis to initiate a criminal investigation, Maldives Police Service would investigation,” the Spokesperson added.

Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem has previously stated that cases of perjury must be prosecuted.

Yameen was charged with money laundering and bribery in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for resort development during his administration.

He was accused of abusing his position and taking a USD 1 million bribe to facilitate the sale of Aarah to Yoosuf Naeem, a former parliamentary representative for Felidhoo constituency, and laundering the said money.

The state has also charged Naeem with giving the bribe.

Criminal Court, on Sunday afternoon, found Yameen guilty on both charges.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison for the money laundering charge, alongside a fine of USD 5 million. Meanwhile, he was sentenced to four years in prison for taking a bribe.

Yoosuf Naeem, who was also found guilty, was sentenced to three years in prison.

In a hearing during the course of the trial, Nareesh gave his testimony where he claimed to have visited Yameen’s resident G. Dhoovehi in September 2015 at Yameen’s request.

He detailed before he took money to Yoosuf Naeem, accompanied by an individual who was working as a driver for Yameen, after counting the notes in front of the former president at Dhoovehi.

The judgment publicized by Criminal Court on Monday read that the witnesses produced by Yameen were done so by exploiting the criminal justice system.

It further stated that the discrepancies in the testimonies of the witnesses prove that false information was provided to the court.

The judgment also stated that the witnesses being unable to specify the time and date MVR 15 million was handed over to Yoosuf Naeem despite being able to recall other events of the day to the tiniest details.

“Ahmed Nareesh was able to specify where he sat in the car, where Abdulla Rasheed sat in the car and where the money was stored inside the car without any difficulties. Giving the answers right away upon being questioned on such small details, yet, being unable to specify which time of the day the transaction occurred was extremely surprising in the perspective of a reasonable mind,” the judgment read.