MALÉ – The criminal court in the Maldives on Sunday (25) found former president Abdulla Yameen guilty of corruption and money laundering and sentenced him to 11 years in prison with a US$ 5 million fine.

The charges were related to receiving kickbacks and money laundering through the lease transaction of Vaavu atoll Aarah.

The court said that the sentence will be announced soon. Yameen has denied the charges.

Yameen, who lost power in 2018, was in 2019 sentenced to five years in jail and fined US$ 5 million for embezzling $1 million in state funds. At the time, the prosecution had said that the funds were acquired through the lease of resort development rights.

After his sentencing, Yameen was shifted to house arrest in 2020 but was freed months later.

Since his release, Yameen, the half-brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has returned to active politics with a campaign against Indian influence in the Maldives, raising concerns in New Delhi.

Situated close to strategic shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, Maldives is a focal point for competition between India and China over influence in the region.

Yameen is the declared presidential candidate for the Progressive Party of the Maldives for an election due in 2023. However, as long as the conviction for accepting bribes and money laundering remains in force, he will not be able to contest the 2023 election.

The prosecution had asked for a 19-year prison sentence; eight years for bribery charges and 11 years for money laundering with a fine of US$ 5 million.

However, Chief Judge Ahmed Shakeel sentenced him to four years in jail for bribery and seven years for money laundering.

Judge Shakeel said although the basic punishment for bribery offence is three years and two months imprisonment, the level of punishment should be made more severe as Yameen committed the offence while serving as President of the Maldives, for which people have consequently suffered losses.

Under the Money Laundering Act, offences are punishable with prison terms of five to 15 years. Due to the nature of the crime, the Chief Judge imposed a seven-year prison sentence and a fine of US$ 5 million which is to be paid within six months.

Former Felidhoo MP Yousuf Naeem was sentenced to three years, two months and 12 days in prison. He asked for a commutation of the sentence based on his criminal record, health and living conditions.

However, the Chief Judge ruled that Yousuf Naeem’s sentence could not be reduced because he had committed a premeditated crime with a former President of Maldives.

Yameen did not comment on his sentence as the hearing had not been postponed, according to his lawyers.

Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Yameen’s legal team led by former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed said he would appeal the Criminal Courts sentence without delay and was confident that the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour.

-The Edition/ENCL