The Criminal Court has scheduled a hearing in the corruption case against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul over the lease of R. Fuhgiri for resort development.

The hearing is scheduled for 9am on Sunday.

Yameen has been charged with bribery and money laundering in relation to the lease of the island.

The former president has been charged with money laundering and accepting bribes while in public office in relation to the leasing of R. Fuhgiri for resort development in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal.

The charges detail that Yameen accepted USD 1,117,000 in bribes for leasing Fuhgiri, and that he had employed Krik Riza to help funnel the money through Sun Construction & Engineering Pvt. Ltd. and Sun Investments Pvt. Ltd.

In addition to Yameen and Riza, two companies owned by the former president’s close associate and Meedhoo constituency MP Ahmed Siyam, has been is accused of laundering the USD 1.1 million he received a bribe.

Both Sun Construction & Engineering Pvt. Ltd and Sun Investment Private Limited denies the charge.

The last hearing in this case was held on 31 January, where Yameen plead not guilty to charges pressed against him in relation to corruption in the leasing of R. Fuhgiri.

The former president is already serving a five-year prison sentence in relation to the MMPRC scandal; he was convicted of money laundering after having embezzled and transferred to his personal account, USD one million from the acquisition cost reserved for the state in the leasing and development of GA. Vodumulaa as a resort. Further, additional charges are being sought against him regarding the leasing of Aarah island in Vaavu atoll for resort development.