Fmr President Denied Bail, Allowed Delay in Fine

The Supreme Court has decided to allow former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom to delay the payment of the USD$5 million fine imposed by the Criminal Court. However, the Supreme Court denied the former president's request to be let free on bail.

Regarding the former president's request for bail, Chief Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir stated that the Constitution only allowed bail prior to the execution of a sentence. Justice Mahaz stated that there was no legal precedent that permitted bail to be granted to a defendant currently serving a sentence. Justice Mahaz said that such a precedent could only be granted by the People's Majlis; he stated that deciding in favour of the defendant in the absence of any legal precedents would go against legal equality.

In addition, the Supreme Court ruled that it had no power to delay the defendant's prison sentence as there was no legal precedent in the Criminal Code.

All judges on the panel were unanimous in accepting the former president's request for a delay in the payment of the imposed fine.