The Criminal Court has resumed proceedings in the bribery and money laundering case against former President Abdulla Yameen over the lease of V. Aarah, more than a year after the trial was suspended.

The High Court previously overturned former President Yameen’s 11 year prison sentence in the case and ordered a retrial.

The retrial was later suspended by the Criminal Court after the prosecution appealed a High Court ruling that certain new evidence was inadmissible. The appeal was taken to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has since ruled on the matter and ordered the High Court not to admit the new evidence.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Criminal Court scheduled the Aarah case for today for the first time in more than a year. The hearing is currently under way to consider pre trial motions.

Yameen was convicted in the Aarah case of accepting bribes and money laundering in connection with the lease transaction. Former Felidhoo MP Yoosuf Naeem was also convicted and sentenced to prison in the case.

The High Court overturned Naeem’s conviction and ordered a retrial.

Yameen is also facing separate bribery and money-laundering charges in connection with the lease of R. Fuggiri.

The Criminal Court had scheduled a hearing in that case last week, but it was cancelled.

The prosecution alleges that Yameen accepted a USD1 million bribe and laundered the money in connection with the Fuggiri lease. Witness testimony in the case has been completed, and the case is now at the stage of reviewing the evidence and testimony.