FILE- In this Feb. 3, 2018, file photo, Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, center, surrounded by his body guards arrives to address his supporters in Male, Maldives. A court in the Maldives on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019, found the country’s former president guilty of money laundering and sentenced him to five years in prison. The five-member Criminal Court bench has also ordered Yameen Abdul Gayoom to pay a $5 million fine. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan, File)
Republished November 28, 2019 - 4:18 AM
Original Publication Date November 28, 2019 - 2:46 AM
MALE, Maldives - A court in the Maldives on Thursday found the country’s former president guilty of money laundering and sentenced him to five years in prison.
The five-member Criminal Court bench also ordered Yameen Abdul Gayoom to pay a $5 million fine.
In its ruling, the court found Yameen guilty of laundering $1 million in state money for personal gain during his presidency.
Yameen led the Indian Ocean archipelago state from 2013 to 2018. During that time he was accused of corruption, muzzling the media and persecuting political opponents.
He lost last year’s election to current President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Maldives is known for its luxury resorts with white sand beaches.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019