Former President Abdulla Yameen connected the sentence against him to India, at the rally held on Friday night. The verdict on the former President's bribery and money laundering charges in relation to leasing Vaavu atoll, Aarah is scheduled to be announced today.
In the "Felaalaifi" (meaning "strung dry" in Dhivehi) rally, he said if India was discontent with him, he could easily be jailed, but maintained that his spirit remains unbroken and that his will to go on.
Yameen reiterated a lot of the sentiments he has previously shared regarding India, and Maldives' current relationship with the country.
Referring to verdict, Yameen said, "If Modi was unhappy, I may have to go to jail tomorrow or the day after."
"President Yameen's voice will not be silenced. President Yameen's resolve will not be changed. So even if India is enraged, we strongly oppose what they're doing in the Maldives right now," Yameen, who frequently refers to himself in the third person, said.
He said that Maldives is not part of Indian territory and that he is not a leader who can be bought by the nation.
He further expressed disapproval regarding the loans issued by the Indian government to the Maldives and accused the current government of taking a share instead of using them for developmental projects. He also accused the Maldives Police Service of being corrupt.
Meanwhile, Mahibadhoo MP Ahmed "Tom" Thoriq has said that even if Yameen were to receive a prison sentence exceeding 12 months regarding the money laundering and bribery charges, he would still be able to run for president next year.
Thoriq said this in response to public speculation about the former president's candidature in the upcoming presidential election.
If he is found guilty of the bribery charge, he will receive a minimum sentence of three-years in jail, while the money laundering charge will earn him a five-year jail sentence.
In the event of a sentence of more than 12 months, the Criminal Court's verdict will be maintained and Yameen will be allowed to contest in the presidential election until the Supreme Court delivers a final verdict.
According to Thoriq, per Article 113 of the Constitution, only the Supreme Court has the power to decide if there is any violation of the eligibility of a presidential candidate.
If Yameen is sentenced to more than 12 months in prison, the conditions required of a presidential candidate under Article 109 (f) can then be considered if the High Court maintains the verdict and the Supreme Court upholds the latter's verdict.
However, if he receives a long sentence, Yameen's only obstacle to contesting the election is Article 109(f) of the Constitution. According to the clause, which lays down the criteria for contesting elections, if a person has been convicted of a criminal offence for more than 12 months, three years must pass since the term has been completed before qualifying to run for president again.
Thoriq said Yameen can qualify to run for office based on the precedent set in the verdict announced on 17 November, 2011, by a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court, including current Chief Justice Ahmed Muththasim Adnan.
In 2011, the Criminal Court's decision to sentence former Kaashidhoo MP Ismail Abdul Hameed to one year and six months in exile, violated the condition of his continuance as a member of parliament, but in such a situation, the Supreme Court has the final say on whether a member should be unseated.
While the court ruled that he would not lose his seat in the case, Thoriq said that according to the constitution, the conditions of a person elected as president and the requirements of becoming a member of parliament were framed by the same principles. The same is true of the exclusion and validity of these criteria, he said.
Therefore, if Yameen is also sentenced to more than a year, Thoriq said there would be no obstacles for Yameen to continue travelling to the islands to campaign until the Criminal Court or the Supreme Court announce a delay in the verdict, or until the Elections Commission (EC) accepts the form signifying his candidacy.
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