The High Court on Thursday afternoon overturned the Criminal Court's verdict to sentence former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to jail.

The former president escaped the prison sentence of a year, seven months and six days, after the High Court ruled that the lower court had not followed procedure in its verdict.

The Criminal Court had convicted Gayoom of obstruction of justice, after finding him guilty of refusing to hand over his mobile phone to the police for investigation.

Both the state and high court admitted that the lower courts did not follow correct procedures during the hearing of the case.

Moreover, the state accepted that Gayoom was not granted enough time by the lower court to appoint lawyers after his initial lawyers gave up the case.

The Judge's bench noted that though Gayoom was sentenced for not handing over his phone which contained evidence, the state was not able to provide any proof for the existence of it.

According to them, the two witnesses presented to the lower courts were only able to state that Gayoom refused to reveal the location of this particular phone and nothing more.

Hence, the Judges declared that Gayoom cannot be criminalised only based on the fact that he did not disclose the location of a personal mobile.

The judge's bench declared that they will not be taking the witness given in secrecy into consideration as only in very few instances can the statement be given as it was done in the lower courts. They added that this person's witness cannot be reliable.

Gayoom was recently released on a bail bond of MVR 60k until the trials are over.