Senior officials of People's National Front (PNF) and former President Abdulla Yameen's lawyers have decided to meet with the President over the delay of a verdict in the appeal of President Yameen's 11-year jail sentence.

Yameen was found guilty of corruption and money laundering in the case and was ordered to 11 years in jail.

PNF officials and Yameen's lawyers visited the High Court today and cleared why the verdict was delayed. After leaving the High Court, Yameen's lawyer Ali Shah told the media that there were things the lawyers' team could do about the delay in the verdict.

Shah said that unlike other civil servants, judges are subject to a specific constitutional order. The Constitution states that judges are required to devote all their time to work. This means that judges cannot be acquitted or exempt from work.

High Court officials cannot explain why the verdict is being delayed and have not received any reply except that they will try to expedite the case, he said. Previously, the High Court has not delayed the verdict in this manner, he said.

The last hearing in the case was held in the High Court on November 21 last year. It was a hearing to conclude the hearings in the case.

The court gave the opportunity to Yameen and Yusuf Naeem, who was charged with bribery and the prosecution. Each of them was given 30 minutes to make their final statement.

Concluding the hearing of the case, High Court Judge Hassan Shafiu said the cases are being examined by the court and if there is no need to present the two parties to clarify anything, the case can be scheduled for judgment.

Yameen's case is being heard in the High Court as soon as possible. The High Court, however, said it had gone on recess since yesterday as per Rule 4(h) of its Rules.

The court will remain in recess until 31st of this month. The court also announced the cases that will be heard during the recess.

These include cases of the type prescribed by law to be decided within a certain period of time, hearings for sentencing, cases of an urgent nature and cases which the bench of judges hearing the case can agree should be heard expeditiously.