Fuggiri trial hearing cancelled after state prosecutor falls ill
The Fuggiri case had not had a hearing for nearly a year, after the most recent hearings were held towards the end of last year.
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The Criminal Court has cancelled a hearing scheduled in the bribery and money laundering case against former President Abdulla Yameen over the lease of R. Fuggiri through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
The Fuggiri case had not had a hearing for nearly a year, after the most recent hearings were held towards the end of last year. A hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday as proceedings were set to resume following the lengthy break.
The Criminal Court said the hearing was cancelled at the request of the state after a prosecutor involved in the case fell ill and had to travel abroad on an emergency basis for treatment.
Yameen is accused of accepting a bribe in connection with the lease of R. Fuggiri through MMPRC and laundering the alleged proceeds. He denies the charges.
Yameen is now the only defendant whose case remains before the court in connection with the Fuggiri transaction.
The Criminal Court previously ruled that charges against two companies linked to Sun Siyam had not been proven. The state also withdrew the charge filed against Ahmed “Krik” Riza.
Yameen is separately facing a retrial over allegations of bribery and money laundering linked to the lease of V. Aarah through MMPRC.
A hearing in the Aarah case has been scheduled for 29 September.
The Criminal Court had previously convicted Yameen in the Aarah case and sentenced him to 11 years in prison. The High Court later overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial.
The High Court also ruled that new evidence submitted by the prosecution could not be admitted during the retrial. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld that position, ruling that the disputed evidence could not be introduced in the retrial.
