Male’, Maldives – Former President Yameen Abdul Qayyoom has said that there is no need for the police to be worried about MVR 100 million being in his accounts.
Yameen said in the Supreme Court hearing held on Monday, following the state moving to dispute the decision of the High Court of Maldives to unfreeze his assets, at the Supreme Court of the country. The High Court’s decision to release Yameen’s accounts were made based on part 72 and 73 of the Criminal Procedure Act, and stated that the verdict of the Criminal Court was in violation of the said parts of the Criminal Procedure Act.
In the hearing, Yameen said that the USD 1 million transferred to his account by SOF was initially investigated by the Anti Corruption Commission of the country, during which he was requested to transfer the money to an escrow account, to which he obliged.
He added that while he as followed the orders of ACC, there was no right to claim that it was not the money transferred by SOF to his account and search all his accounts.
Speaking further, Yameen said that the claim of the Police is that there is money in his account which the Police does not know the origin of – something which Police have no right to look into without substantial proof, he said.
Adding on, Yameen said that he would have explained the origin of the money, had he been questioned during the investigation process. However, according to him, this was not done so.
“The thinking of the Police goes as far that the money in a person’s account would only be from the salary that they earn from a job. They do not process that the income of a person comprises of other sources as well. So they should not be worried about MVR 100 million being in my account.” Yameen said.
A bench of three Supreme Court Justices have concluded the hearings as of Monday, pending the verdict, of which a date would be announced on a later date.
