Supreme Court to hear Aarah case appeal next month
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for 1 July at 9:00 am in the case involving former President Abdullah Yameen over allegations linked to the lease of Vaavu Aarah. Yameen is accused of accepting and laundering USD 1 million in bribes. The Criminal Court had previously sentenced Yameen, but the High Court quashed the sentence and ordered a retrial, also ruling that new evidence submitted by the prosecution should not be admitted. The state has appealed to the Supreme Court on the admissibility of the new evidence. The same High Court order also quashed the sentence of former Felidhoo MP Yoosuf Naeem and ordered a retrial. The Supreme Court bench consists of judges Aisha Shujune Mohamed, Dr Mohamed Ibrahim, and Abdulla Hameed. The Criminal Court trial is adjourned pending the Supreme Court decision. Separately, Yameen faces the Raa Fuggiri case and a High Court case seeking recovery of USD 1 million from an escrow account with the Anti-Corruption Commission.