“Former gov’t” might depict Maldives before Islam-Gayoom’s lawyer

Despite Mohamed Waheed, Lawyer of the former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoomhas said that the phrase “former government” used by the Finance Minister Ali Hasim speaking to New York Times might depict a time before the advent of Islam in the Maldives, in yesterday’s hearing of Gayyoom’s defamation case against the Editor of Miadhu Daily, forpublishing that the New York Times had published a story containing allegations that Gayoom embezzled US$400 million during his time in government.

In yesterday’s hearing Miadhu Editor Abdul Latheef countered lawyer Mohamed by providing bills as evidence for three points raised in the article in reference to the Auditor General’s report, upon who’s 2009 report the article was largely based.

Miadhu Editor provided the courts bills for world’s most expensive suits Gayoom bought for himself and his close allies and bills for Gayoom’s wife Nasreena and her colleagues of SHE’s middle-east trip that cost about a million Dhivehi Ruffiya.

Gayoom’s lawyer did not counter any of the arguments brought by Miadhu Editor. Lawyer Waheed only said that it was Gayoom who built Theemuge and Muleeaage.

In yesterday’s hearing Gayoom’s lawyer failed to respond to the allegations that Gayoom usurped the wealth of the state for his and his family’s personal use. He only talked of the grammatical errors made in the Miadhu Daily article instead of pointing out the factual lapses made in the article.

Former President, Gayyoom lodged the defamation case against Miadhu Daily Editor when Miadhu Daily published a news article based on a New York Times article alleging corruption during Gayyoom’s 30 year regime.

Although Miadhu Daily did not publish any information not included in the New York Times article, and the Miadhu report referenced the original report, Gayoom decided to sue the editor lodging the defamation case against him.

Meanwhile, the Secretariat of the Former President’s Office said that the legal team of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is now researching to take potential legal action against the Chief National Correspondent of CNN-IBN, Sumon K. Chakrabarti for writing a report on the Indian weekly magazine The Week alleging that Gayoom and his half brother, PA Leader Abdullah Yameen have been involved in an international money laundering racket worth of 800 million US Dollars.