The Supreme Court has announced a hearing regarding former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom related to the purported embezzlement of the Vaavu Aarah lease for tourism development.

As per the court's timetable, the judges will meet at 9:00 am on July 1 to announce their ruling on the state's appeal to introduce new evidence in Yameen’s retrial.

Yameen was found guilty by the Criminal Court on 25 December 2022 and given an 11-year prison sentence for money laundering and receiving a bribe of USD 1 million.

Nonetheless, following an extended appeals procedure, the High Court overturned the conviction in late 2023 and mandated a retrial. In the same decision, the High Court determined that new evidence presented by the prosecution could not be accepted in the retrial.

The state then appealed that portion of the decision to the Supreme Court.

The hearings on the issue had been finished, but the case was reopened due to a change in the panel. The latest hearing took place on 29 September of the previous year, during which Justice Aisha Shujoon, who presided, stated that the bench required clarification on multiple unresolved matters prior to making a decision.

Justice Shujoon is overseeing the case, joined by Justice Dr Mohamed Ibrahim and Justice Abdullah Hameed on the panel.