Former President Abdulla Yameen's Head of Legal Team, Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has stated that it is highly likely that the former President would be free during the month of March.

The Criminal Court found President Yameen guilty of corruption and money laundering charges related to the sale of resort development acquisition and leasing rights to Vaau Atoll Aarah, and sentenced him to 11 years in jail with a fine of USD 5 million on December 25th, 2022.

Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday regarding the latest proceedings of the case, Dr Jameel stated that judges who had presided over President Yameen;'s cases getting promoted or being transferred to the Higher Courts seemed to be too 'coincidental'.

He further highlighted that the case took a long time in the lower courts since a lot of leg work is done in the lower courts, and added that the appeal process will not be long. He noted that usually a decision is made in three hearings for appeal cases.

He further stated that the court had never given the defense the benefit of the doubt nor considered the former President 'innocent until proven guilty'.

He highlighted that it is likely that the High Court will nullify the verdict as it goes against the criminal case regulations. As such, he stated that even though it was the judge who issued the verdict, it had the mannerisms and wordings of the Prosecutor General, Hussain Shameem.