The Criminal Court on Wednesday decided to livestream the retrial of former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s money laundering and bribery charges regarding the lease of V. Atoll Aarah.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2022 after being convicted of the charges against him.

High Court overturned the ruling in April this year and ordered a retrial of the case.

The preliminary hearing for the retrial began on Wednesday, to decide how to proceed with the case.

At today's hearing, the President's defense requested that the trial be conducted live. The prosecution did not object to it, and the trial was conducted as such.

Today's hearing ended with a hearing scheduled for next month. It is to present pre-trial motions. The case is being heard by Judge Ali Nadeem in the Criminal Court.

Former President Yameen is being charged with money laundering and accepting bribes in the lease transaction. Former MP Yousuf Naeem was also charged with bribery in the case.

The three-year, two-month and 12-day jail sentence imposed on Yousuf Naeem was also quashed. The case has been ordered to be re-heard but has not yet been scheduled.