Closing Arguments Approach as Yameen’s Fuggiri Case Enters Final Stage

The Criminal Court of the Maldives convened a key hearing at 09:15 today, as the bribery and money laundering trial against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom regarding the lease of R. Fuggiri resumed.

The proceedings focus on evaluating remaining evidence and pre-trial motions. Yameen remains the sole defendant in the Fuggiri transaction after state prosecutors withdrew charges against alleged intermediary Ahmed “Krik” Riza and chose not to appeal the acquittal of the involved Sun corporate entities. 

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Today’s hearing follows a cancellation late last month caused by a state prosecutor’s medical leave, and comes amidst broader legal proceedings surrounding the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) scandal.

In the separate V. Aarah case, pre-trial motion hearings resumed on 29 September after higher courts overturned Yameen’s initial conviction, with the Supreme Court upholding directions to exclude specific state-submitted evidence such as attendance records for defence witness Ahmed Nareesh and Economic and Youth Council minutes.

 During that hearing, prosecutors defended using testimony from former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and former MMPRC Managing Director Abdulla Ziyath despite defence claims of personal animosity, while also seeking to block defence evidence regarding a USD 1 million currency exchange due to non-disclosure during initial police questioning.

Additionally, Nareesh, who previously testified to counting MVR 15 million in cash for the alleged exchange, notified the court that he no longer wishes to testify in the Fuggiri case due to a lack of direct knowledge.

 Yameen continues to maintain his innocence across all charges, with presiding judges aiming to conclude the in-person trial proceedings within the year.