Maldives court orders former president’s release News
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Maldives court orders former president’s release

A three-judge bench of the High Court in Malé ordered police to release former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen on Thursday.

The court ruled that there was not enough reason to hold Yameen beyond a month under the law, finding that the prosecution had not provided sufficient reason to extend his remand in custody.

Yameen was arrested on February 18. He is accused of money laundering and corruption in the lease of islands for hotel development during his tenure.

He was detained under articles 13 and 60 of the Maldives criminal procedure code. The country’s criminal procedure code states that the longest period of detention permissible under the law is 30 days. The court observed that the statutory detention period in Yameen’s case had ended on March 18.