Former Felidhoo MP Yousuf Naeem has been sentenced to three years and two months in jail by the Criminal Court.
The prosecution charged Yusuf Naeem with bribery for bribing then-President Abdulla Yameen to lease V. Aarah.
The Criminal Court Sunday ruled that the charges brought against Yusuf Naeem were proved beyond a reasonable doubt. He was therefore sentenced to three years, two months, and 12 days in jail.
During the sentencing stage, Yoosuf Naeem's lawyer Hamza Latheef requested the judge to commute the sentence to one year, seven months, and six days due to 54-year-old Yoosuf Naeem's illness and lack of any criminal record. He also proposed that part or all of the sentence be commuted to house arrest or part of the sentence be commuted to a fine. However, the prosecution asked for the maximum punishment available under the law.
After considering the motions of both parties, the judge said he did not see any reason to increase or decrease the penalty.
During Sunday's hearing, President Yameen was also found guilty of bribery and money laundering. He was sentenced to eleven years in prison, leaving the door closed for him to contest the upcoming presidential election until a higher court quashes the verdict.
