Yameen seeks CDs with police statements in graft retrial
Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Yameen in the leasing of V. Aarah for tourism purpose.
Former President Abdulla Yameen on Monday asked the Criminal Court to provide him with CDs containing video recordings of his statement to the police investigation, as a defence to the prosecutions statement that Yameen remained tight-lipped during the investigation.
The High Court quashed Yameen's 11-year jail sentence in April and ordered the lower court for a retrial
The Criminal Court started the retrial on Monday. Yameen's defence objected to the hearing.
Yameen's lawyer Hamza Latheef said he objected to the trial for two reasons:
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The pre-trial motions by both the prosecution and defence include motions that affect the issue of the prosecution's new evidence in the Supreme Court
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CDs containing recordings of Yameen's statements with the investigation are important for the debate of the motions
Prosecution counsel Ahmed Shafeeu also agreed that the point made by Yameen would affect the case in the Supreme Court.
However, on the issue of CDs, Shafeeu said:
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It was mentioned at all stages of the trial and had not been mentioned before
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However, the prosecution also believes that Yameen should have access to all documents including CDs to give him the opportunity to defend himself
Reflecting on their arguments, Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Yameen in the leasing of V. Aarah for tourism purpose as part of the judgement is being adjourned by the Supreme Court and contradicts in pre-trial submissions.
The trial judge Ali Nadeem ruled:
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To adjourn the pre-trial motions section as it appears that the decision of the Criminal Court will affect the case in the Supreme Court
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The Criminal Court should provide the CDs requested by Yameen as soon as possible
The trial of Yameen's 11-year jail sentence has resumed in the Criminal Court four months after the High Court quashed the sentence and ordered a retrial. The lower court hearing is being conducted live on YouTube.
The High Court has asked the Criminal Court to quash the three-year jail sentence handed down to former MP Yoosuf Naeem who was convicted of bribing Yameen in the Aarah case. However, the trial of his case has not yet started in the Criminal Court.
