FAM President’s Embezzlement Trial Opens Without Lawyer

The trial of the President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), Bassam Adeel Jaleel, commenced yesterday at the Criminal Court over allegations of embezzlement and money laundering, with the defendant appearing without legal representation.

Bassam is accused of misusing association funds to purchase a penthouse apartment on Ameen Avenue, allegedly paying MVR 25 million to Ameen Construction after transferring money through the accounts of several companies. The state claims he embezzled USD 1.2 million from FAM, and is seeking both damages amounting to the same sum and the recovery of the property.

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At the opening hearing, Bassam requested more time to secure a lawyer, but the presiding judge refused to delay proceedings. The court granted the state additional time to review case documents and ruled that Bassam must respond at the next hearing if no counsel is appointed.

The charges stem from an agreement to purchase an eight-room apartment located across the 12th and 13th floors of the Ameen Avenue building. Court documents indicate that MVR 25 million, including GST, booking fees, and commitment fees, was transferred from Bassam’s US dollar account to a range of construction companies.

Hearings are scheduled for 26 and 30 September. If convicted of embezzlement, Bassam faces one year, seven months and six days in prison. A conviction for money laundering carries a fine of MVR 100,000, alongside penalties ranging from a fine of MVR 1 million to a prison term of between five and 15 years.

The proceedings come as Bassam faces a separate embezzlement trial, also before the Criminal Court. A hearing in that case is scheduled for the end of the month, with witness testimonies already concluded. His initial defence lawyers have since withdrawn from representing him, and a ruling is expected following closing statements on 23 November.