Maldivian High Court orders release of ex-President

Male, March 29 (IANS) The Maldivian High Court has ordered the release of former President Abdulla Yameen from detention citing lack of evidence to hold him on allegations of witness tampering, the media reported on Friday.

Yameen was detained in February after a criminal court ordered authorities to take him into custody until a money-laundering case against him was concluded in court, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prosecution asked the court to take Yameen into custody to prevent him from influencing the evidence against him. 

However, the Maldivian High Court on Thursday said Yameen could not be held in detention for over a month and the prosecution had not provided any reason to extend his remand in custody.

Yameen was being held under house arrest and not in jail due to ill health, the report said.

The former President is facing allegations of money laundering and the criminal court has already frozen his local bank account holding nearly $6.5 million. He has denied any wrongdoing and appealed against the allegations.