Yameen makes emotional appeal for house arrest transfer
Yameen asked the High Court bench what the damage to the state would be if he was transferred to house arrest.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Former President Abdulla Yameen asked the High Court on Thursday to release him to house arrest to serve his jail sentence in the V. Aarah case.
The High Court on Thursday held the first hearing in Yameen's motion seeking to stay the 11-year jail sentence and the USD 5 million fine imposed on him after he was convicted of accepting a bribe and money laundering in connection with the leasing of V. Aarah as part of the MMPRC corruption scandal.
Asked to comment on the reason for seeking the stay order, Yameen said he had physical disabilities and was not young.
He said he was not able to do some exercises in the jail due to the pain in his knee. He asked the judges to be kind to him.
"I didn't go to the hospital not because I don’t need to. I have not gone to the hospital and got admitted this time because I can feel the pain my family is going through. It's because the family is more worried when I am there. Otherwise, I will now be in the hospital," Yameen said, in an emotional appeal at Thursday’s hearing.
Yameen added:
-
Punishment is not for a crime he committed
-
He will prove it in the High Court
-
The previous sentence was not repealed either
Yameen then asked the High Court bench what the damage to the state would be if he was transferred to house arrest. In other parts of the world, prisoners are released on bail under special circumstances, he said.
In the current court case, Yameen's lawyer has sought an order to stay the payment of the USD 5 million fine imposed on him in the Aarah case. Referring to the motion, Yameen said that if the High Court does not issue the stay order, the money will have to be paid and there will be no way for him to recover the money from the state in the event the High Court overturns his sentence, making it a civil loss for him.
Yameen's lawyer has filed a petition in the High Court seeking the stay on enforcement of the judgment in the Aarah case while his appeal of the judgement is still pending at the court.
Yameen lost the ability to contest the September 9 presidential election, as the Supreme Court upheld an Elections Commission decision to reject his candidacy over his 11-year jail sentence and unpaid fine of USD 5 million.
