.svg)
The Criminal Court has decided to allow defense witnesses presented by former President Abdulla Yameen, alongside key prosecution testimonies from former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ex-MMPRC head Abdulla Ziyath, in the V. Aarah lease trial.
News Desk
Former President Abdulla Yameen - Photo: PNF
MALE : The Criminal Court has decided to accept defense witnesses submitted by former President Abdulla Yameen in the ongoing V. Aarah island lease and bribery retrial.
Presiding Judge Ali Nadeem rejected state objections against Yameen’s witnesses, ruling that concerns over witness credibility should be evaluated at the end of the trial during final judgment rather than excluding testimony ahead of proceedings. Yameen maintains that $1 million transferred into his bank account was from a legitimate currency exchange transaction completed using physical cash.
Defense Oral Witnesses Allowed: Ahmed Nareesh (Former Male Deputy Mayor), Abdulla Rashid, Mohamed Ismail (Vilimale MP), and Mohamed Shahid (Hulhudhoo MP).
The court also ruled on defense objections regarding prosecution witnesses, deciding to allow testimony from former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and former MMPRC Managing Director Abdulla Ziyath as relevant state witnesses. However, the judge rejected the prosecution’s request to present testimony from MP Ahmed Nazim.
Court records outline that Aarah was transferred to the Tourism Ministry in August 2015 before being leased to 2G Private Limited, owned by former MP Yousuf Naeem, who subsequently transferred $1 million to Yameen’s account.
