Jailed former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor was transferred back to jail on Tuesday night, after the Supreme Court halted the High Court order to transfer him to home arrest.
In the ruling issued on Tuesday, Supreme Court ordered to halt Adeeb's transfer until it reaches a decision regarding the appeal filed by the State.
Adeeb was transferred to home arrest by officers from Maldives Correctional Services on Monday.
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, where a hearing was held earlier this week. The order to transfer Adeeb to house arrest until a decision is made was issued with the unanimous agreement of all three judges on the bench.
The State then appealed High Court's decision at the Supreme Court, and requested the apex court to overrule High courts decision, stating that the order violated the regulations of the Supreme Court. According to the documents presented in court, there is no reason compelling enough to keep Adeeb under house arrest, therefore, there is no subsequent need for the High Court to issue such an order, said the state.
The Supreme Court then issued a temporary stay order on former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb’s transfer to house arrest and prohibited state authorities from taking any action regarding the High Court’s ruling until the top court reaches a decision on the matter.
Adeeb had undergone emergency surgery last November before he spent a month under house arrest due to ailing health.
Authorities then transferred ex-VP back to prison, deeming the period recommended by doctors to keep him in a homely environment as expired. 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.
Adeeb being taken back to jail on Tuesday
