Yameen’s appeal hearing cancelled at PGO’s request

The hearing scheduled at the High Court for Thursday, in the appeal of the money laundering conviction against former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, has been cancelled.

A spokesperson from the High Court said that the hearing, which was scheduled to begin at 02:00 pm on Thursday, was cancelled at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO).

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison and slapped with a USD 5 million fine on December 25, 2022, after he was found guilty of money laundering and bribery charges in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for resort development.

An official from the Prosecutor General’s Office said they asked to cancel Thursday’s hearing because the prosecutors working the case where in K. Maafushi, for a training.

The last hearing in the case was held on September 6.

Yameen’s party PPM, along with his lawyers, have expressed concern over the delay in the appeal, which they see as a deliberate move by the government to influence the case.

Yameen’s top lawyer, former vice president Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Jameel described the last-minute cancellation of Thursday’s hearing as a “great violation” of the rights of the country’s opposition leader.

ރައީސް ޔާމީނުގެ ހައިކޯޓް އިސްތިއުނާފުގެ އަޑުއެހުން ސުންގަޑިއަށް ވެފައިވަނިކޮށް ޕީޖީ އޮފީހުގެ ވަކީލުން ބިޒީވުމުން ކެންސަލްކޮށްފި. މިއީ ބޮޑުވެގެންވާ އަނިޔާއެއް. އަދި މިއިސްތިއުނާފު ލަސްކުރުމަށް އިންތިޒާމީގޮތެއްގައި ރޭވިގެން ވާ ގިނައަތްތަކެއް ހިމެނޭ. pic.twitter.com/KU0SNQSYc4

— Mohamed Jameel Ahmed (@MJameelAhmed) September 21, 2023

He said the appeal was being deliberately stalled.