The Supreme court of Maldives on Tuesday Acquitted former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom over money laundering citing lack of evidence and discrepancies in the trial.
A three-member Supreme Court bench unanimously declared the five-year jail term and $ 5 million fine slapped on Yameen two years ago by a lower court as invalid.
The former leader had recently been placed under house arrest.
The judges noted the evidence given at the initial trial had discrepancies and did not conclusively prove that Yameen had laundered $ 1 million in state money for personal gain.
Yameen ruled the Maldives, before losing a re-election bid to current President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
He was accused of corruption and stifling dissent and the media during his tenure as the president.
Which he’s acquitted in this case, there are other corruption cases pending against him in court.