Full case report released in Yameen’s case after three weeks

Criminal Court has released the full case report in the money laundering and bribery trial against opposition leader, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom to his legal team on Sunday, three weeks after the conclusion of the trial.

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.

Criminal Court found Yameen guilty on both charges on December 25.

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. 

The full case report of the trial alongside the transcript of witness testimonies was released to Yameen’s legal team on Sunday, as confirmed to Sun by Adam Shameem, a member of the legal team.

Yameen’s legal team has previously remarked that appeal in the case was being delayed over the court’s failure to hand over the full case report. 

The court is granted a period of 14 days without government holidays to release the case report. As January 1^st was a holiday, today marks 14 days since the judgment was delivered in Yameen’s case without including weekends.

A 60-day period is granted to appeal lower case judgments to High Court. Although there are many days remaining in this period – the delay in appeal in Yameen’s case, who was granted the presidential ticket by the opposition PPM-PNC coalition, is of concern as the appeal process may not conclude in time for the election.

According to the timeline publicized by the Elections Commission (EC) on Sunday – the last date to submit candidacy for the presidential election is August 3^rd.