Yameen alleges presidential influence in jail sentence
He further alleged that a sitting government minister contacted a judge regarding the outcome of his case.
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Former President Abdulla Yameen on Sunday accused President Dr Mohamed Muizzu of influencing the judicial process surrounding the V. Aarah case to prevent his participation in the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking at a People's National Front (PNF) rally, Yameen claimed that the High Court's delay in proceeding with his appeal was politically motivated. He alleged that President Muizzu influenced the court to defer the appeal until after the 2023 presidential election, which Muizzu won, and subsequently exerted influence to have the conviction quashed.
Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on 25 December 2022. His legal team appealed the sentence at the High Court on 21 February 2023. The procedural timeline of the appeal is as follows:
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15 March 2023: Re-submission of appeal form
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7 June 2023: Court hearings began, nearly three months after submission
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July 2023: Hearings paused due to the absence of two judges on leave
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16 August 2023: Hearings resumed
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26 October 2023: Hearings adjourned again
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9 November 2023: Hearings resumed
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21 November 2023: Hearings concluded and judgment reached
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18 April 2024: High Court quashed the 11-year sentence and ordered the Criminal Court to reconsider the case
Yameen stated that the delays contributed to his inability to contest the presidential election and that this outcome was facilitated by coordination between the previous administration and political leaders within the current government coalition.
He further alleged that a sitting government minister contacted a judge regarding the outcome of his case. Yameen said he received this information from within the current cabinet and expressed willingness to reveal the identity of the minister if President Muizzu requested it directly.
According to Yameen, President Muizzu has claimed to have worked towards securing his release but denied interfering with the courts. Yameen said such statements are inconsistent with the actions taken during the appeal process.
Yameen added that President Muizzu would not reach out to him because of how he had been treated by members of the current administration.
President Muizzu has previously stated that he did not influence the judicial outcome of the V. Aarah case and that if he had, the result could have been different. He has maintained that his administration does not interfere with the judiciary or the Parliament.
