High Court Rules Against Postponing Jail Term, Yameen’s Fine Deferred
Photo: The President’s Office
Former President Abdullah Yameen’s USD 5 million fine has been postponed by the High Court, while his jail sentence of 11 years remains unaffected.
ވ. އާރަށު މައްސަލާގައި ރައީސް ޔާމީންގެ މައްޗަށް ކޮށްފައިވާ ހުކުމުގެ ޖޫރިމަނާއާގުޅޭ ބައިގެ ހުކުމް ތަންފީޒުކުރުން ފަސްކުރުމަށް ހައިކޯޓުން އަމުރުކޮށްފި.
އަދި ޖަލު އަދަބު ތަންފީޛުކުރުން ފަސް ކުރެވެން ނެތް ކަމަށް ވެސް ނިންމާފައިވޭ.— 𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗠 (@AdamShameem) August 13, 2023advertisement
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Yameen had lodged an appeal against the 11-year jail sentence and the accompanying fine of USD 5 million that had been imposed by the Criminal Court. His legal representative approached the High Court seeking a postponement of the jail sentence until the appeal process reaches a resolution.
In response, the High Court has ruled that there should be no immediate enforcement of the USD 5 million fine. However, the three-judge panel decreed that the 11-year prison term cannot be subject to postponement.
The rationale behind this verdict stems from a prior judgment by the Supreme Court, which established that judgments in criminal cases are not eligible for postponement. Any deviation from this principle, even in the absence of a legal stipulation, would be deemed an abuse of the procedural framework.
Abdullah Yameen, who has been sentenced to 11 years in incarceration accompanied by a USD 5 million fine, had pursued his case through the appellate system up to the Supreme Court level. His attempts to overturn the verdict were unsuccessful.
