The High Court on Sunday accepted the appeal filed by former President Abdulla Yameen's legal team against the USD 3.4 million (MVR 52 million) fine he owes to the state in connection with his conviction in the fraudulent lease of Vaavu atoll Aarah.
The court said that the appeal has now been registered.
Yameen's legal team filed the appeal on March 13.
They are also appealing the former president's 11-year jail sentence he received in the same case. This appeal was first filed by his lawyers on February 21. On March 9, the court asked that the documents be amended and resubmitted. The case was submitted to the High Court again on March 16.
The former president was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Criminal Court on December 25, last year, for bribery and money laundering charges in the lease of Vaavu atoll Aarah while he was still in office.
The opposition has expressed concern over the delays in accepting the case; they maintain that Yameen is their presidential candidate for the upcoming election. His lawyers have repeatedly said that he would be freed by the courts this month.
As of now, due to his hefty jail sentence, Yameen has been disqualified from contesting in the presidential election slated for September 9.