Malé, Maldives – The Criminal Court, today, denied the request by Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to seize former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s passports.
While the PGO alleged that the former President Yameen assisted former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb in fleeing the country and Yameen has the means, connections to abscond from the Maldives, the defense stated that the former President has adhered to all the rules set by the court and attended all the summons.
The Criminal Court stated that the state had failed to produce any evidence of ex President Yameen attempting to leave the country.
The passports [PGO requested to be seized] are invalid [do not exist] there is no legal authority to seize the passports.
Criminal Court
The court also asserted that as former President Yameen is required to stay in the country for his trial, the state may file the passport seizure request at any time when the prosecution can prove that he has acquired a new, valid passport and it attempting to leave the Maldives.
The state filed money laundering charges against the former President on 24 November 2021 at the Criminal Court regarding the lease of V. Aarah. The PGO also has another ongoing case against the Former President of accepting bribes worth MVR 117,000 during the lease of R. Fuggiri for the development of a tourist resort.
