Illegal verdict, will win appeal: Yameen's lawyers
Jameel said that this was not related to the MMPRC scandal and that it was done with the intention of keeping Yameen out of the upcoming presidential elections.
By
Aman Haleem
Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's lawyers said on Sunday that the 11-year jail term awarded him in the Aarah case was not acceptable on the grounds that it violated the rules of law.
Criminal Court Chief Judge Ahmed Shakeel found Yameen guilty of accepting bribes and money laundering charges on 25 December.
Yameen's lawyers, however, said that even after the verdict, it was not clear what was done by Yameen to influence the lease of Aarah island. This is pointed out by his lawyers during the trial as well.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the verdict, former Vice President Dr Mohammad Jameel Ahmed, among Yameen's defence lawyers, said none of the evidence presented by the state showed the nature of the crime.
"Not a single piece of evidence has been presented to the state, how president Yameen misused his official position and the manner in which president Yameen interfered in the conduction of the act," Jameel said.
Explaining the reason for not accepting the trial court's verdict, Jameel said that the judge did not take cognisance of the fact that the state had not submitted sufficient evidence to subvert the case. Here's what he further pointed out:
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The state has not explained how Yameen is related to the case
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Did not disclose the directions he gave to misuse his position
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The judgment was in violation of the Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure and the provisions of the Act.
Yameen's lawyers said they were confident that the appeal would be won and that they would begin the process of appeal as soon as the criminal court's verdict was delivered.
"We are very confident that president Yameen will come back to you as an innocent man even if the appellate court takes the slightest cognisance of the case," Jameel said.
When asked by Atoll Times to explain the legal issues in the judgment, Jameel said, this is not the time to elaborate on legal loopholes. He, however, added that more will be exposed as the appeal processes.
Apart from the flaws in the verdict, Jameel indicated that there was an attempt by the government to influence the verdict. He added that the government had detained Yameen previously as well, and this time too it was a "political" charge.
Jameel further said that this was not related to the MMPRC scandal and that it was done with the intention of keeping Yameen out of the upcoming presidential elections.
