Former President Maumoon to take legal action against Editor of Miadhu Daily

Former President, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has lodged a defamation case against the Managing-Editor of Miadhu Daily, Abdul Latheef, over reporting New York Times article over alleged corruption cases during Maumoon’s regime.

According to Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim, Maumoon’s lawyer, Managing-Editor of Miadhu Daily, Abdul Latheef, is being sued for misleading the public on the former President’s presidency, in the Miadhu Daily which is being published under Latheef’s editorship.

Speaking further, Waheed said that in the 13^th June’s edition of Miadhu Daily, a writer called Ali Fahudhu has written the article, which prompted Maumoon to take legal action against Miadhu Daily.

According to the case, Maumoon wishes to receive financial benefits in return for defamation of his character.

However, Miadhu Daily has not written any information that was not included in the New York Times article, and was reported with reference to New York Times article. Miadhu Daily also views New York Times as a source of information like any other international media agencies, and reports to local media if they carry a relevant article for Maldives.

Waheed also added that Maumoon’s legal team is investigating if Maumoon could take legal action against Maumoon’s former cabinet minister, Ahmed Abdulla, CEO of Miadhu Daily. Waheed also added that his team is preparing its legal case against New York Times as well.

NY Times article has said that government is working reclaiming USD 400 million stolen from public coffins during Maumoon’s administration. Maumoon has already lodged a defamation case against Ali Hashim, Finance Minister, as he was quoted in the New York Times report as saying that if the looted money during the previous administration could be reclaimed, it would not need the foreign aid as it is seeking today.