Maumoon's 12 year jail sentence appealed at High Court

Former Maldive Gas Managing Director Abdulla Maumoon has appealed to the High Court against the 12-year prison sentence imposed on him by the Criminal Court over two bribery convictions. 

The State charged Maumoon with accepting bribery in 2016 while serving as Maldive Gas MD under the previous Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) administration. He was convicted on two out of seven charges brought against him in the case. 

After conviction, the Criminal Court handed him a prison sentence of 12 years, 9 months and 18 days. This can be broken down to 6 years, 4 months and 24 days in prison for each charge. 

The sentence was appealed at the High Court last month, which is yet to decide on whether the case will be accepted. 

There are five additional charges pending against Maumoon. 

After the PPM administration completed its term in office, the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) launched investigations against Maumoon. During this investigation, Maumoon left the country and spent an extensive period abroad. However, the State filed charges against him early last year. A travel ban was issued against him when he returned of his own volition to Maldives last year. 

When Maumoon, a close associate of former President Abdulla Yameen, left the country, ACC's investigative teams followed him abroad and worked on completing the investigation.