High Court on Tuesday issued a verdict to release and free former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom.
The verdict was issued on the appeal case filed by President Yameen over Criminal Court's order to keep him under state custody until the end of his money laundering trial, after the prosecution asked the court to take Yameen into custody to deny him the chance to influence the evidence against him.
The former president was being held at the VIP unit of Maafushi until he was later transferred to house arrest by Maldives Correction Service.
In their verdict, the High Court noted that the maximum period of detention while investigations is underway is 30 days, where 15 additional days may be added upon expiry of the initial 30 days. However, the Prosecutor General's office has not requested for an extension while the 30 days have already expired, said the verdict. Therefore, the order issued by Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Ahmed Hailam was effectively quashed by the High Court.
The bench that issued the ruling comprised of judges Hussain Shaheed, Hassan Ali, with Chief Judge Sujau Usman replacing Judge Abdul Rauf Ibrahim who was previously on the bench.
Criminal Court recently began the trial of former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom who is facing charges of money laundering linked to the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the island nation.
The much awaited report into the Maldives Media and PR Corporation (MMPRC) scandal, had revealed that over USD79 million had been embezzled through the state tourism promotion company.
The funds received by MMPRC were distributed through a private company called SOF Private Limited with strong links to the now jailed former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor.
Shortly after the scandal was uncovered, USD1 million was deposited by SOF to Yameen's personal account at the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB).
Yameen has continued to insist that the funds in his account were for his failed presidential campaign last year.
