The Prosecutor General's Office, on Tuesday, filed a case against former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb over attempting to flee the country while the Supreme Court had placed him under a travel ban.
Adeeb attempted to flee aboard 'Virgo 9', a Singapore-flagged tug, posing as a crew-member on July 27. Indian authorities intercepted the former vice president near the coast of Tuticorin Port, Thoothukudi.
After he was successfully extradited on August 4, Adeeb was arrested at approximately 0530 hours the following day and transferred to Dhoonidhoo Prison.
Authorities have yet to reveal how Adeeb boarded the tug.
During a Criminal Court hearing held on August 5, Adeeb confessed to fleeing the country while under a travel ban and admitted that he acted against the agreement signed with the police, in which he agreed to provide full cooperation in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC)'s MVR 1.3 billion graft scandal.
However, Adeeb's lawyer claimed that the former vice president was cooperating with the investigations, but had to flee the country due to threats and warnings by others involved in the MMPRC scandal.
Although all charges against Adeeb were dropped prior to the escape attempt, clearing him from serving a jail sentence of 33 years, the state had appealed the High Court's decision to overturn Adeeb's eight-year Criminal Court sentence over the embezzlement of USD 5 million (MVR 77 million) owed to the state as acquisition cost for Maabinhuraa, Lhaviyani Atoll.
The Supreme Court has issued an order to keep the former vice president in detention until the conclusion of the appeal case. The travel-ban against Adeeb remains in effect as well.
Sign In