PG decides against appeal in overturn of Yameen's MVR 52m order
The PG office on Sunday said it will not challenge the high court's decision. The office, however, did not specify the reason for the decision.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Prosecutor General's Office (PG) has decided not to appeal the High Court's decision to overturn the Criminal Court's order for former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to pay $3.4 million (MVR 52 million) in connection with the case.
Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25 after being found guilty of money laundering and accepting bribes. However, on February 23, the trial court ordered him to pay MVR 52 million to the state, that was laundered in the case within a period of six months.
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Yameen had challenged the order in the High Court on March 13, saying it was in violation of procedures
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On Tuesday, the High Court set aside the trial court's order
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The high court said that the order passed separately a month-and-a-half after the conclusion of the trial was "beyond due process of procedure"
The PG office on Sunday said it will not challenge the high court's decision. The office, however, did not specify the reason for the decision.
While the high court said that the order passed by the trial court was out of procedure, the PG office maintained that the state had not done anything wrong in seeking such an order.
The high court had repeatedly questioned the state to clarify its response to the case in which Yameen's statement was not sought before the criminal court issued the order. However, the state could not explain why he was not allowed to speak in defence before passing the order.
