The state filed an appeal with the High Court challenging the Criminal Court's decision that the charges against Amin Construction, alleging they facilitated money laundering for former Football Association of Maldives (FAM) President Bassam Adeel Jaleel, were not proven.
In a statement, the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office said it believes the Criminal Court’s decision to conclude the case and its refusal to take testimony from many witnesses produced by the state were contrary to judicial and legal principles.
Therefore, the state has requested the High Court to nullify the Criminal Court’s decision and remand the case back to that court for retrial.
Additionally, the state has requested a temporary injunction to stop any transactions involving Bassam’s two apartments. The state had charged Amin Construction with aiding money laundering and deception in a transaction where Bassam allegedly used FAM funds to purchase two apartments from Amin Avenue, built by the company in Hulhumalé.
The verdict issued by the Criminal Court in the case stated it was proven that USD 1.2 million (more than MVR 18 million) of FAM’s funds were deposited to Amin to be exchanged for Maldivian Rufiyaa, and that the equivalent cash was handed over to Hassan Waheed, an FAM employee who is also a defendant in the case.
The state alleged that Amin prepared cash vouchers to show that the money was handed over to FAM; however, that money was never deposited into any FAM account.
While Amin Construction does not deny that FAM’s dollars were deposited into the company, they deny the claim that the equivalent funds were not handed over to FAM and the claim that those funds were used to pay for Bassam’s apartment. The verdict stated that while the state claims the money received by Hassan Waheed was used to buy Bassam’s apartment, there is no evidence to support this.
It noted that the only argument presented was that the remaining amount to be paid for the apartment was close to the amount of money handed over to Hassan Waheed. However, there is no documentation showing that those specific funds were deposited back into Amin to purchase the apartment.
Consequently, as it was not proven that the funds from the exchanged FAM dollars were used to pay for the Amin Avenue apartment, it was determined that the charges against Amin Construction were not proven.
Although the charges against Amin were not proven, Bassam was found guilty of embezzlement and money laundering in the same case. He was sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison and fined MVR 44 million.
Additionally, it was determined that USD 1.2 million must be returned to FAM, and Bassam was ordered to pay that amount within six months.
