The Prosecutor General’s Office has revealed that it will not appeal the High Court’s decision to postpone the enforcement a US$5 million fine against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Yameen, who is presently serving an 11-year prison sentence on bribery and money laundering convictions relating to the lease of Aarah in Vaavu Atoll, had previously petitioned the High Court to defer both his prison sentence and the US$5 million fine until the completion of his appeal against both convictions.
A panel of three judges rendered this decision earlier in the week. They stated that authorities ought to refrain from enforcing the US$5 million fine, yet they were unable to grant a postponement for Yameen’s 11-year incarceration.
This ruling was based on a precedent established by the Supreme Court, which had previously decreed that verdicts in criminal cases cannot be deferred under any circumstances. The court highlighted the potential for abuse of legal procedure if such postponements were permitted.
The Prosecutor General’s Office arrived at this decision subsequent to an internal evaluation of the High Court’s judgment.
Concurrently, while the High Court ruling was issued, the Attorney General’s Office lodged an appeal with the Civil Court to assert its claim on the fines. The AG office is pursuing two cases involving fines imposed on Yameen in relation to bribery charges stemming from his presidential tenure.