HC accepts appeal filed by Yameen over his arrest

High Court has accepted the appeal filed by former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom over the arrest warrant issued against him by Criminal Court.

Yameen, who has been charged with money laundering, was arrested on February 18.

The arrest warrant was issued by Criminal Court following review of evidence submitted by the State to show the former President attempted to tamper with the State’s witnesses in the case by offering them bribes.

Yameen’s attorney, Abdulla Shiyaz announced via Twitter this Thursday that the High Court has accepted the appeal of the arrest warrant.

Yameen was charged with money laundering and providing false testimony to State investigators following Maldives Police Service’s investigation into the USD 1 million - believed to be embezzled funds in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) scam – deposited to his account at the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) by SOF Private Limited.

Money Laundering and Terrorism Funding Act prescribes a prison sentence of 5-15 years and a fine MVR 100,000 – MVR 1 million, or a prison sentence of 5-15 years and a fine no more than five times the amount laundered.