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High Court will free Yameen before election, his legal team assures

Lamya Abdulla
23 February 2023, MVT 14:32
(FILE) Former President Abdulla Yameen heading to court on Sunday, December 25, 2022 : his legal team submitted to appeal his prison sentence on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 . -- Photo: Nishan Ali / Mihaaru
Lamya Abdulla
23 February 2023, MVT 14:32

Former President Abdulla Yameen's legal team said on Wednesday that Yameen would be freed from prison by the High Court with enough time for him to run in the presidential election this year.

Yameen was found guilty of bribery and money laundering in December 2022 over the lease of Vaavu atoll Aarah and received an 11-year prison sentence. His legal team filed an appeal regarding the verdict with the High Court this Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference organised by his legal team on Wednesday, former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel said there were significant legal wrongdoings in addition to the blatant mismatch between the evidence provided and the charges levied against Yameen.

Dr. Jameel, who leads the legal team, said there were more virtuous judges at the higher courts; therefore, they hope that the court will overturn the jail term with time left for Yameen to run in the presidential election.

Former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel (L) speaking at a press conference organised by Yameen's legal team on Wednesday, February 2023 -- Photo: PPM

"I am very confident we will be able to succeed with enough time for the current election. We will win the High Court case. President Yameen's administration will begin again after the 2023 election," Jameel said, affirming his full confidence that Yameen will be able to contest.

He said they would request the High Court release him on bail until the appeal is over. He said that even though Yameen was not granted bail the previous time he was sentenced to prison, they believe it will be granted this time because of the discrepancies in the present case.

"We'll ask for it. We are hopeful that the verdict will be delivered. That's because so many mistakes have been made in this case," Dr. Jameel said.

He said the main concern was that the lower courts were making serious errors in implementing the law. He added that this was because the judges are not adequately trained and there are lapses in the appointment of judges as well.

"This means there are issues with the quality of judges," he added.

Dr. Jameel, who was Yameen's first vice president, said it was concerning that any judge that presides over Yameen's cases gets promoted to the higher courts. He called for senior court officials to fight against this, saying the rule of law would not last otherwise.

Yameen's conviction has disqualified him from running for president. However, if the verdict is overturned before the deadline for filing nominations for presidential candidates, he will still have the opportunity to participate in the election.

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