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Civil Court to hear ex-VP's medical leave snub

Civil Court has accepted the case filed regarding the government’s refusal to grant medical leave for jailed former vice president Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor, his lawyer claimed Monday.

Adheeb’s family had earlier requested authorities to grant permission for Adheeb to travel abroad for medical treatment, claiming that he has been diagnosed with an internal cyst, kidney stones and a dangerous eye disease “glaucoma”.

The ex-VP's is serving 33 years in prison over two counts of terrorism and corruption including the blast aboard the presidential speedboat which has been now confirmed as a plot to assassinate president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Adheeb's lawyer Moosa Siraj told Avas that the Maldives corrections service has repeatedly refused to forward his client's medical documents to the medical board which would decide whether to allow Adheeb to travel abroad for treatment.

Adheeb meanwhile is facing multiple counts of terrorism and graft charges including a second assassination plot involving a Sri Lankan sniper.

Government meanwhile has attracted intense opposition criticism over its decision to deny Adheeb medical leave insisting that there was a real threat that the ex VP would abscond.

Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom meanwhile in July had asked his former deputy to return the millions he stole from state coffers to get medical leave.

President Yameen had insisted that the government would not allow Adheeb to travel abroad until the stolen funds are recovered but added that the authorities would allow him to bring in doctors from abroad.

He also added that Adheeb would have access to every health care facility available at the state run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).