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State files case against former Pres Yameen for not paying USD 5 million fine

Lamya Abdulla
26 August 2021, MVT 13:32
Former President Abdulla Yameen being escorted home after being summoned to the Presidential Commisiion regarding Missing Persons: Yameen was fined USD five million for money laundering in 2019 -- Photo: Nishan Ali/ Mihaaru
Lamya Abdulla
26 August 2021, MVT 13:32

Attorney General's Office (AGO) sues Former President Abdulla Yameen for failing to pay USD 5 million (MVR 77 million) fine.

On November 28, 2019, Yameen was convicted for money laundering and sentenced to five years in jail in addition to the USD 5 million fine as well. He was ordered to pay that fine within six month to Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).

In a press statement released by AGO on Wednesday, they said Yameen had not paid the fine within the duration provided for him. AGO said that Yameen had failed to comply when MIRA had notified him on June 26, 2021, that he had to pay the fine within a 30 day period as per the Tax Administrative Act as well.

Therefore AGO has submitted a case to Civil Court on Tuesday requesting to enforce the verdict. They had requested to order Yameen to pay the amount in full.

Tax Administrative Act enables AGO to submit such cases to the court, if money owed to the state has not been paid within a specific period.

Yameen was jailed when it was proven in court that he had accepted a bribe of USD one million and laundered that money when leasing Gaafu Alifu Vodamulaa. This is one of the cases Yameen is connected to in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Corruption.

Yameen was the first person convicted under thePrevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act. The USD five million fine was also the biggest amount anyone had been fined for a criminal case in Maldives.

While Yameen was given a five year jail sentence, he was currently at home. He was moved from Maafushi Jail to his home in April of this year, when COVID-19 cases started to surge.

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