PG denies opposition claims of implying interference in Yameen's trial
According to the PG office, the discussions about the government's influence on the PG were personally expressed by the coalition members present in the meeting
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
Prosecutor General's Office (PG) said on Monday that there was no mention of the release of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who is serving an 11-year prison term for money laundering, if not for the government’s influence.
The PG office said this in a statement, dismissing a report published in Dhiyares newspaper quoting former Funadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdullah, who is temporarily in charge of the opposition coalition, as saying that the PG spoke in a way that indicated that Yameen would be free if there was no governmental influence on the him and his office.
Yameen had appealed on December 21 last year against the 11-year prison sentence awarded to him by the Criminal Court in connection with the MMPRC scandal. However, the proceedings are yet to be heard in the High Court.
Speaking to the media after a meeting with senior leaders of the opposition coalition and Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem to share concerns about Yameen's conviction and his trial, Abdul Raheem said Shameem’s comments showed that a mistake had been made in Yameen's case. He added that Shameem was finding it difficult to make those remarks because of his position.
Denying Abdul Raheem's claims, the PG Office said in a statement that Monday’s meeting was an attempt by the opposition to discuss the progress of President Yameen's trial. Here's what happened in the meeting according to PG’s Office:
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The PG office also wants the early disposal of the appeal filed on behalf of Yameen
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He said the case was already delayed due to the delay in writing and submitting appeals on behalf of Yameen
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However, Shameem said that he would cooperate from the PG office in whatever needs to be done so that the hearings in the case are taken up at the earliest and a speedy verdict is delivered
According to the PG office, the discussions about the government's influence on the PG were personally expressed by the coalition members present in the meeting. "Since it is not part of the scope of the office's work, there is nothing that the office can do on the complaint," the statement said.
