Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who is serving an 11-year jail sentence for corruption and money laundering, has been transferred to his residence by the Maldives Correctional Services (MCS). The correctional authority, or any other government body, has not as of yet given an official statement on this recent development.
MCS transferred the former leader from Maafushi Prison to his residence in Malé this afternoon shortly after local media broke the news of the impending transfer.
Upon his arrival in Malé, Yameen was greeted by jubilant supporters celebrating what they hoped to be an initial step in his fight to vacate his jail sentence and other charges brought against him.
Yameen was seen flanked by an enthusiastic crowd as he walked to his residence where he was greeted by his wife, former first lady, Fathimath Ibrahim. He was later seen waving to his supporters from his residence, greeting and interacting with them.
The former president’s appeal against his Criminal Court jail term is currently ongoing at the High Court. He was also fined US$5 million – which remains suspended until the outcome of the hearings are determined. However his request to be moved home, while appeals proceedings continued, had initially been denied by the courts.The current development comes in the backdrop of President-Elect Mohamed Muizzu, during a speech acknowledging his presidential election win, calling on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to transfer the former leader from jail to his residence.