MALE (Reuters) -Former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen will enchantment as quickly as attainable towards his conviction and jailing for 11 years on corruption and cash laundering expenses, mentioned his lawyer.
Yameen, the opposition Progressive Occasion of Maldives (PPM) candidate for the following election due in 2023, was despatched to a jail on Maafushi island on Sunday to start out his sentence following the order from the Maldives legal courtroom.
Yameen, 63, has denied any wrongdoing and can serve his time in a particular compound within the jail which has been beforehand used to jail different excessive profile politicians.
Former Maldives vice chairman Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, who’s main Yameen’s authorized crew, mentioned they’ll enchantment towards the legal courtroom’s verdict immediately.
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A day after the decision and sentencing, the courtroom has now issued the trial and case experiences to Yameen’s authorized crew, an official mentioned on Monday afternoon.
Jameel had mentioned earlier that the defence was not offered the total written judgement.
“It is fairly absurd that the courtroom has issued a verdict of responsible with out producing its judgment or case report,” Jameel mentioned.
“Our concern is that critical breach of equity has already taken place because of delay of judgment copy as defence is paralysed from submitting enchantment which is a basic proper underneath Article 56 of our structure.”
The PPM protested towards Yameen’s conviction on Sunday, with police arresting 16 folks earlier than releasing them later, the occasion mentioned. PPM officers advised native media that the occasion will proceed its protests.
“We reiterate our perception that this trial and verdict is a political witch-hunt towards our presidential candidate…and name for his quick and unconditional launch,” the PPM mentioned in an announcement.
Yameen, who misplaced energy in 2018, will stay the occasion’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election, it mentioned.
Located near strategic transport lanes within the Indian Ocean, Maldives is a focus for competitors between India and China over affect within the area.
The PPM additionally alleged that India had “straight interfered” with the judicial course of in the course of the trial of Yameen. India’s international ministry didn’t reply to a request for remark.
(Writing by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Enhancing by Michael Perry, Kirsten Donovan)
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