Former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed has been sentenced to prison for contempt of court, after failing to appear before the Supreme Court for an appeal hearing.

The Supreme Court treated his failure to appear in court as contempt of court, and sentenced him to two months and 12 days in prison, The court ordered Maldives Correctional Services to enforce the sentence.

The sentence was issued by Justice Husnu Al-Suood, who presides over the bench looking into the case, and was supported by others on the bench – Justice Ali Rasheed Hussain and Justice Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim.

Justice Husnu Al-Suood also said that Ali Waheed left the Maldives without informing anyone any contact details nor any information regarding his residence in the UK. He added that due to the lack of contact details, his case in the Criminal Court has been obstructed as well as the appeal hearing in the Supreme Court.

Ali Waheed was held in contempt of court under Section 541 of the Penal Code.