Former President Abdullah Yameen has been instructed by the Criminal Court to pay a sum of USD 3,413,230 (MVR 53 million) within six months. The prosecution had demanded the recovery of USD 1 million, which was laundered and combined with USD 2,413,230, along with the investment proceeds, under the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act. Yameen was found guilty of two charges and sentenced to 11 years in prison, but an appeal against the jail sentence has been filed in the High Court.
On February 21, 2017, Yameen’s account at the Islamic Bank received a deposit of USD 1,295,000 after accepting USD 1 million as a bribe for the lease of Vaavu atoll Aarah. The deposited money was transferred to HSBC and the Bank of Maldives. On March 14, 2021, a total of USD 3,413,230 was invested in an investment account with the same bank for 36 months.
Yameen’s lawyers claim that the High Court will likely overturn the sentence and release him soon, in time for the upcoming presidential election, but it is unclear if the court has registered the appeal case.
