Former President, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, has been taken back to Maafushi prison from Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) sometime this afternoon.

President Yameen’s attorney, Abdulla Shiyaz, has informed One Online that the former President has been taken to Maafushi on a vessel.

Media Head of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) Mohamed Mufeed informed One Online that President Yameen had been discharged from the hospital at 3:00 pm this afternoon.

The interim leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and MP for Fonadhoo constituency Abdul Raheem Abdulla spoke regarding the matter at a joint press conference with Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) today. MP Abdul Raheem said that President Yameen being taken to the hospital under questionable circumstances.

MP Abdul raheem has said that when a person in detention is being transferred from one place to another, a notice should be given.

President Yameen had been taken into Police custody and transferred to Maafushi prison on 18 February 2019 straight from the court after Criminal Court hearing.

The Prosecutor General’s office had initially asked the Criminal Court to issue an arrest for the President Yameen regarding an investigation into corruption at Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). The Criminal Court had then ordered the detention of President Yameen until court trial against the former President on charges of money laundering at MMPRC is concluded.

State attorneys had argued at the Criminal Court hearing to determine the detention of President Yameen, that the former President had attempted to bribe witnesses in the case of money laundering from MMPRC.

Yesterday however, President Yameen had been transferred from prison to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). While Police had initially informed that President Yameen had been brought to the hospital for a routine medical check up, it was later revealed that President Yameen was being treated in the cardiology department. MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla who is close to President Yameen has since said that President Yameen is not ailed with cardiac medical issues.

Upon receiving the news that he had been taken to IGMH, several supporters of President Yameen had gathered near the Hospital. While Maldives Police Service had unleashed pepper spray on the crowd of supporters, they had since released a statement reiterating a justification for the act. MPS had said that they only resorted to pepper spray after President Yameen’s supporters became unruly at the hospital and attempted to enter the cardiology department.