HCourt overturns Yameen’s bribery conviction in Aarah case

The High Court has overturned the four-year prison sentence issued against former Maldivian leader Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom for bribery.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2022, on charges of bribery and money laundering in connection to the sale of V. Aarah. The High Court delivered its verdict on Thursday, after a months-long pause in the appeal proceedings.

The court overturned the bribery conviction, and ordered a retrial.

Meanwhile, the judgement remains pending on the money laundering conviction – for which he was sentenced to seven years.

Earlier on Thursday, the High Court overturned the three-year prison sentence issues against Yameen’s co-defendant in the case, former Felidhoo MP Yoosuf Naeem, who was convicted of bribing the former president.

The bench took an hour-long recess after announcing its decision on the bribery conviction against Yameen, saying the bench will reconvene to deliver the judgement on the money laundering conviction at 06:45 pm.

Delivering the judgement, Judge Hassan Shafeeu – who chaired the three-member bench – said that the Criminal Court committed major wrongs in the trial. He said the verdict was issued “outside the bounds of the law.”

The other two judges concurred.

The High Court’s judgement comes four months after it concluded appeal hearings in the case. The sentencing hearing was scheduled on Wednesday night, after Speaker Mohamed Aslam – a top politician from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – threatened to lodge a case with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over the prolonged appeal process.

This marks the second time for a court to overturn a conviction against Yameen. In 2021, the Supreme Court overturned a five-year sentence issued against him for money laundering in connection to the sale of GA. Vodamulla – another island which was leased for resort development during his administration.

Yameen was transferred home on October 1, 2023 – a day after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu won the presidential election.

But less than a week after President Muizzu took office in November, Yameen left the ruling PPM-PNC (Progressive Party of Maldives-People’s National Congress) coalition – and initiated efforts to form a new party, the People’s National Front (PNF).

He has also grown increasingly vocal in his criticism of President Muizzu’s administration, has repeatedly alleged that President Muizzu and other members of the PPM-PNC leadership had never wanted him freed.