Former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb, who was granted leave to travel to Singapore for urgent medical care, has been provided with an extension for a second time. Adheeb, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of corruption, was initially allowed a 10-day medical leave to seek care in Singapore.
Adheeb departed for Singapore on 12 July, accompanied by personnel from both the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) and the Police. The MCS confirmed to the media that the current extension will last until 15 September.
Adheeb’s political party, the Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD), stated that the trip to Singapore was recommended by multiple doctors due to his critical condition, caused by a life-threatening neurological disease. Concerns over his health were the driving force behind the decision for him to seek specialised medical care abroad, the party said.
Adheeb was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined MVR 2 million in 2020 after being convicted in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption case. However, he was transferred from jail to house arrest on medical grounds later that same year.
As Adheeb awaits the opportunity to have his prison sentence commuted through parole, his legal team continues to advocate for his release. However, no decision has yet been made regarding his plea for commutation.