In the state's prosecution against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom for allegedly taking a bribe of USD 1 million and laundering that money through the leasing of V. Aarah for tourism, former Malé Deputy Mayor and current Youth Minister's Advisor Ahmed Nareesh, Vilimalé Constituency Parliament Member Mohamed Ismail, Hulhudhoo Constituency Parliament Member Mohamed Shahid, along with a person named Abdullah Rasheed, were submitted to the Criminal Court today as defense witnesses for Yameen.

During today's hearing of the Aarah case held at the Criminal Court after a year, President Yameen's legal team submitted these individuals as defense witnesses to prove that the USD 1 million alleged by the state to have been deposited into President Yameen's account as a bribe through the V. Aarah leasing transaction was actually currency exchange money.

In addition to them, a document indicating the currency exchange was also submitted in Yameen's defense.

Previously, the Criminal Court sentenced Yameen to 11 years in prison and fined him USD 5 million after finding him guilty of taking a USD 1 million bribe and laundering the money through the leasing of V. Aarah for tourism. This consisted of a seven-year prison sentence for money laundering and a four-year prison sentence for accepting a bribe.

However, the Supreme Court overturned those sentences and directed the Criminal Court to re-examine the case. The Aarah case proceedings were restarted in the Criminal Court following the Supreme Court's ruling.

In this case, President Yameen is being prosecuted under the accusation that he accepted a bribe and laundered the received funds through the leasing of V. Aarah via MMPRC.