Former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen pleads not guilty to charges of money laundering
.jpg?imwidth=3840)
Story highlights
Yameen, who unexpectedly lost an election last year, was arrested in February.
Abdulla Yameen, the former president of the Maldives, pled not guilty to charges of money laundering on Sunday, in the first hearing of a criminal court trial into the matter.
Yameen, who drew the Indian Ocean island country closer to China during his tenure, is accused of receiving $1 million of government money through a private company, SOF Private Ltd, which has been implicated in a corrupt deal to lease tropical islands for hotel development.
The corruption scandal, originally uncovered by an internal audit, has also implicated several other leading politicians and businessmen, all of whom have denied any wrongdoing.
trending now
)
Tragedy at Telangana Air Force academy: Two Indian Air Force pilots killed in aircraft crash during training
)
11 climbers die in volcanic eruption in Indonesia, search ops halted due to lava discharge
)
WATCH | 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw and Eagles security chief Big Dom ejected after on-field confrontation
)
India state election results: PM Modi's BJP scores a sweeping 3/4 in crucial test before 2024 final
)
Moo-d boosting therapy: This farm offers relaxation through unique cow cuddling sessions
)
Mizoram Assembly Elections 2023 Results Live Updates: BJP ally MNF confident of securing another term
)
Hamas-run govt says 700 Palestinians killed in 24 hours as Israel intensifies operations across Gaza
)
New York stabbing attack: Four killed in Queens neighbourhood as police shoots suspect dead
)
Jason Momoa's Deep Rising, Pleistocene Park by Luke Griswald win top awards at ALT EFF 2023
)
This groundbreaking new drug is all set to increase life span of large dogs
)
Buoyed by electoral success, PM Modi asks oppn not to vent ire on first day of parliament’s winter session
)
Indian PM Modi hails four-state election results as victory of 'politics of development'
)
India's Arshdeep Singh reveals thought process in clinical match-winning last over vs Australia in 5th T20I
)
CID star Dinesh Phadnis aka Fredericks is on ventilator support: Report
)
Morning brief: Ex-US ambassador to Bolivia arrested, and more
SOF Private could not immediately be reached for comment.
Yameen, who unexpectedly lost an election last year, was arrested in February. He has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.
During Sunday's hearing, which was broadcast nationally in a historic move, the court dismissed five pre-trial motions filed by Yameen's lawyers challenging the validity of the charges against him.
The defence's arguments did not amount to a valid reason to not proceed to trial, the judge ruled.
The prosecution's witnesses will begin to testify at the next trial date on August 4. If found guilty, Yameen could face a jail sentence of between five to 15 years.
