The Supreme Court has dismissed the constitutional case filed by PPM/PNC presidential candidate and former president Abdullah Yameen.
Yameen’s legal team said the petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking to ensure that his fundamental rights and electoral rights which have been violated due to the delay in appeal cases in the High Court are protected.
Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in jail by the Criminal Court. The court ruled that Yameen had taken USD 1.1 million as a bribe from Yoosuf Naeem and laundered the money.
The appeal against the verdict began in the High Court last month but no hearing was held after the Eid holidays. Judge Huzaifa Mohammed of the bench was first on leave for family reasons while Judge Mohammed Salim is currently on leave.
Although the PPM/PNC coalition has given Yameen the presidential ticket, Elections Commission has previously stated that it will not accept his candidacy as long as his jail sentence remains in force.
In addition, Yameen was accused of taking USD 1.1 million as bribe from the company that leased the Fuggiri island through Ahmed Riza and laundering the money through two “Sun” companies.
The case is pending in the Criminal Court. Riza’s part has been taken away and the part of the charges against Yameen and Sun’s two companies is now underway.
