President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih gave his word that he will find a “political” solution to former President Abdulla Yameen's detention, said President of opposition People’s National Congress (PNC), Abdul Raheem Abdulla.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Abdul Raheem said that President Solih had given them his word when the coalition members went to meet him at the President’s Office in order to seek Yameen’s release.
“The President himself told us that there are political solutions to the matter” said Raheem.
Since the President himself told them that a political solution may be reached, it gives the notion that his overall detention is politically influenced, said the MP.
Abdul Raheem went on to accuse the government of being involved in Yameen's detention so as to influence the approaching Parliamentary Elections.
He also said that they have reached out to the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as senior officials of the Maldives Correctional Service but that no state institution has provided any assistance in the case so far.
He added that they have also requested the President’s Office to hold all-party talks but that they are yet to respond.
On February 18, the Criminal Court ordered that Yameen be kept in detention for the rest of his trial on money-laundering charges, after the Prosecutor General’s office stated that he had been offering bribes to change witness testimonies.
In his 21 days in Maafushi Prison, Yameen has been taken to hospital three times over chest pains.
An appeal hearing on his arrest order has been scheduled for Tuesday.
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