Court sets 29 October verdict date in Yameen's Fuggiri case

The Criminal Court has scheduled a hearing on 29 October to deliver its verdict in the bribery and money laundering case against former president Abdulla Yameen over the lease of R. Fuggiri. Presiding Judge Ali Nadeem set the date on Tuesday after the defence finished its closing arguments. The prosecution presented its closing arguments on Monday. No verdict has been given yet. The case concerns the lease of Fuggiri through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), without public bidding, to Classic City Island Holdings for USD 1.55 million. The prosecution alleges that USD 1 million from the deal reached Yameen. The case originally involved six defendants. Yameen is now the only one remaining. Defence lawyer Hamza Latheef argued that the prosecution had not proven any link between Yameen and the lease. He said the USD 1.1 million deposited into Yameen's account came from a currency exchange, months after the island was leased. Yameen denies the charges. He also faces a retrial in the V. Aarah lease case at the Criminal Court.