News

Jailed ex-VP transferred to house arrest following court order

Jailed former vice president, Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor, who is currently serving a long prison sentence on various crimes, have been transferred to house arrest on Monday night.

The High Court issued a temporary court order to transfer Adeeb earlier on Monday evening.

Adeeb was brought to Male' Prison following the court order where administrative requirements were fulfilled, before being transferred home around 8.30pm.

Adeeb recently filed a case at the Civil Court, alleging that he was not receiving the necessary medical care in prison. However, the Civil Court had decided that the case is not within their mandate. The case was then appealed at the High Court, and a hearing was held on Sunday and Monday regarding the case at the High Court.

Adeeb requested for a temporary court order to transfer him back home during Sunday's court proceeding. The order was issued after reviewing statements by both Adeeb and the State.

During the hearing, Adeeb had stated that he was prone to headaches and loss of consciousness due to the strong medications prescribed to him. He is also suffering from loss of consciousness due to the medication, said Adeeb.

Adeeb had undergone emergency surgery last November before he spent a month under house arrest due to ailing health.

Authorities have since taken the ex-VP back to prison. His family said the doctors had recommended Adeeb to be admitted in hospital to continue his treatment. He has been hospitalized twice since his transfer back to prison, while Adeeb's spouse Mariyam Nashwa claims his condition has worsened after he was taken back to prison. The family blames the authorities for ignoring the doctor's recommendations.

While this is the case, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Home Minister Imran Abdulla continues to insist that Adeeb is being treated fairly and considerately in prison.

Adeeb's family claims that he has been diagnosed with an internal cyst, kidney stones and a dangerous eye disease “glaucoma”.

The ex-VP 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. He is also facing multiple counts of terrorism and graft charges including a second assassination plot involving a Sri Lankan sniper.