Former president Abdulla Yameen responded furiously at court on Sunday after prosecutors claimed that his former vice president Ahmed Adeeb no longer bore animosity towards him.
Yameen is on trial on charges raised over the leasing of islands in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal, which occurred during his administration while Adeeb was vice president and tourism minister.
Yameen was charged with bribery and money laundering over the lease of Raa Fuggiri island. As Adeeb is the prosecution's chief witness, defence lawyers asked the court not to accept his testimony on the grounds of animosity towards Yameen.
In response, prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu said the circumstance referred to by the defence was about a time when Yameen was president and Adeeb as vice president thirsted for power.
As Yameen is no longer president and Adeeb is not in a position to gain political power at his expense, such a circumstance no longer exists, the public prosecutor said.
The other reason noted by Yameen for Adeeb's purported animosity is Adeeb's prosecution over a blast on Yameen's presidential speedboat.
But the high court ruled that Adeeb was not guilty, Shafeeu noted. The case was sent back to the police and remains there, he added.
Displeased by the prosecution's arguments, Yameen asked for the opportunity to speak. Yameen said he could not think of any reason why animosity existed before but not at present.
The prosecution's agreement made with Adeeb and former MMPRC managing director Abdulla Ziyath stated that such charges would be dropped against Adeeb in exchange for cooperation with the state, Yameen alleged.
As prosecutors have said that Adeeb and Ziyath's testimony was important to corroborate circumstantial evidence in order to establish the facts and elements of the crime, Yameen questioned whether they became witnesses after the plea agreement.
Responding to Yameen, Shafeeu raised the example of his defence lawyer, Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, who worked against Yameen in the presidential election after his impeachment as vice president.
"As the proverb states, friends become enemies in politics, and enemies become friends. When the situation changes. The circumstance referred to say there was animosity between Adeeb and president Yameen is a political animosity," Shafeeu said.
Rejection of motions on admissibility of evidence
Motions from Yameen challenging the admissibility of the prosecution's evidence were filed with reference to the right to object before witness testimony under section 145(d) of the criminal procedures law.
An objection was also made contending that evidence gathered from banks had been obtained illegally without a court order. The court was asked to rule that evidence from banks and evidence obtained by investigative agencies other than the presidential commission on asset recovery would be inadmissible.
But the court rejected the motions. Judge Ahmed Nadheem said similar motions had been filed during pre-trial hearings and that there has been no change after the new evidence law came into force.
The judge rejected the motion on Adeeb and Ziyath as witnesses with reference to the new evidence law on the grounds that the defence would have the opportunity to challenge their testimony when the court hears arguments concerning evidence. It was therefore not a reason to not hear their testimony, he said.
Case summary
According to the prosecution, Yameen used his influence as president to collect USD 1.1 million as a bribe through businessman Ahmed 'Krik' Riza and laundered the money through the Sun Investment and Sun Construction and Engineering companies.
Fuggiri was leased through the MMPRC without a bidding process to the Dubai-based Classic Citi Island Holding. Fuggiri was leased to the company for USD 1.55 million. While bribery was suspected in the leasing of Fuggiri, the Pandora Papers revealed that influential Indian businessmen were behind the deal.
Records from the leaked Pandora Papers showed that Classic Citi was a partnership involving the family business of Indian property developer Avinash Bhosale and influential logistics businessman Amit Kumar Gandhi.
Yameen, who was awarded the presidential ticket of the Progressive Party of Maldives, is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence. He was convicted at the criminal court of accepting a USD 1.1 million as a bribe to lease Vaavu Aarah island through the MMPRC and then laundering the money. The high court is due to begin appeal hearings on the guilty verdict next Wednesday.
