Verdict in R. Fuggiri corruption case against Yameen to be delivered October 29

The Criminal Court has scheduled the verdict hearing in the R. Fuggiri corruption case against former President Abdullah Yameen for 11:00am on the 29th of this month, after hearings in the trial concluded on Tuesday. Judge Ali Nadeem, who is hearing the case, said today that the summary of the case had been delivered and the hearings concluded, with the verdict to be announced on October 29. The case concerns allegations that Yameen accepted USD one million as a bribe for leasing R. Fuggiri and laundered the money. During the summary statement hearing, Yameen argued that there was no basis whatsoever for the charges against him. He also raised questions about the credibility of the testimony of the two main witnesses against him — former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and former MMPRC Managing Director Abdullah Ziyath. Yameen said that Adeeb had been given leniency, and that an agreement drawn up by the state was made in this case to obtain a statement from Adeeb against him. Yameen's lawyers also raised numerous questions over the testimony of Adeeb and Ziyath. Defence lawyer Dr Mohamed Jameel described the two as a machine used by the state to produce evidence against Yameen. Noting that the Supreme Court has also established that the two are fasiq (transgressors) and hold enmity towards Yameen, Jameel said no weight can be given to their testimony to prove a crime against Yameen. Jameel noted that in the MMPRC embezzlement case, the original perpetrators are Adeeb and Ziyath, who have confessed to the offence, and that the state has freed them. In exchange, he said, Yameen is being politically victimised. Jameel said the charges are an act carried out with state involvement to politically isolate Yameen in an unconstitutional manner. Defence lawyer Hamza Latheef said Adeeb and Ziyath gave evidence in this case at a time when an agreement existed between them and the state, and that they were receiving various benefits and leniency to the extent that the state was satisfied. Hamza questioned whether the testimony of people in that position could be fair. Hamza said that if any error was made in leasing Fuggiri, Adeeb and Ziyath have confessed to it, and that the state has no evidence linking Yameen to anything to do with that transaction. He said the dollar transaction, which took place long after the Fuggiri lease transaction, cannot be linked to that matter, and therefore the state cannot prove that the money was obtained through a crime. He argued that where it cannot be proved that the money was acquired through a crime, the elements of the money laundering offence would not be established. Hamza also raised questions after the case against Creek Riza, whom the state charged as the person who gave the bribe, was sent back. He noted that charges against two companies for facilitating money laundering were also not proven, and the state decided not to appeal that case. He therefore questioned the state's intention, given that it is pursuing only Yameen's case while leaving others implicated in the matter. The Prosecutor General's Office told the court today that the embezzlement within MMPRC was carried out under the direction of former President Abdullah Yameen, and that the transaction leasing R. Fuggiri was also something he did to obtain money. In addition to this case, the case of embezzlement in the leasing of V. Aarah is also proceeding in the Criminal Court. It is now proceeding after the High Court annulled the Criminal Court's earlier decision that the case was proven, and ordered it to be heard afresh.